Little chocolate s’mores pies. YES.
Hi. So, I’ve been going completely nuts trying to decide what to make for Kevin’s upcoming birthday. As a bonafide foodie, I mean dessertie, I can’t deliver a traditional birthday cake. No no. Instead, I need to serve something he will remember forever… or at least until next year’s ridiculously awesome birthday dessert.
Ahhh! What to do?
…
Got it. Little s’mores-y things. Even though I’m sure he’ll feel ridiculous eating something called a “tartlet”, I’ll just say they are reduced-size s’more pies. Yeah. That sounds much more manly. Brilliant.
Lemme tell you a thing or two about this recipe. First of all, I shared it on Delish.com last week. So if you saw it there first and already had the chance to make them, YOU KNOW what I’m talking about when I say these s’mores tartlets… ahem, reduced-size s’more pies… are phenomenal. No, way better than that. Downright heavenly.
The toasted marshmallow topping is enough to send you into dessert oblivion. Bye.
(You will not be returning.)
You’re probably going to look at me/your screen like I’m crazy when I say that these are actually VERY simple. They really really are. The crust? 3 ingredients. The chocolate filling? 3 ingredients. The marshmallow topping? 4 ingredients. The hardest part, if that, is the marshmallow topping. But even the topping is something a beginner baker can make.
With so little ingredients in these s’mores tartlets, it’s important that each one is used. I get a bazillion questions about ingredient subs– and usually there is wiggle room– but it’s imperative this recipe is made as written to have the best possible result.
Let me quickly break down each layer.
1. Graham cracker crust – you know exactly how to make my favorite graham cracker crust by now. Press the crust into tartlet pans. If you do not have individual tartlet pans, use a cupcake pan– and make sure you use cupcake wrappers! You can also make this into a 9-inch tart using a tart pan.
2. Chocolate ganache filling. This is an upgraded chocolate ganache with a smooth buttery texture. First, heat cream. Second, pour hot cream over chopped chocolate + butter. These three ingredients make a smooth, rich, almost illegal tasting chocolate filling. See what I mean?
3. Marshmallow topping – it tastes like fluffy, puffy, cloud-like, sweet marshmallows. The topping is similar to marshmallow creme, but isn’t quite as dense. It’s fluffy and airy–just like marshmallows– and is made from gently heating and whisking sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar.
Cream of tartar is used for three imperative reasons. First, it stabilizes the egg whites; it’s a crucial ingredient in making things like meringue topping. Second, the cream of tartar allows the egg whites to maintain their texture when whipped into stiff peaks. You see the pretty peaks on these s’mores tartlets? That’s the cream of tartar doing its job! One more reason. The cream of tartar increases the egg whites’ tolerance to heat, which is very helpful if you toast the marshmallow topping like I did.
I used my handy kitchen torch to toast the topping. That’s optional!
Ladies and gents, we’ve found a birthday dessert winner!! Obviously.
PS: I was a little impatient and didn’t wait the full 2 hours to chill the pictured tartlets (more like 1 hour), so that’s why they don’t look completely set!
Follow me on Instagram and tag #sallysbakingaddiction so I can see all the SBA recipes you make. ♥
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S’mores Tartlets
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Prep Time: 45 minutes
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Cook Time: 10 minutes
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Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
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Yield: 8 tartlets
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Category: Dessert
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Method: Baking
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Cuisine: American
Description
These mini chocolate ganache-marshmallow tarts won’t have you missing a campfire.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (150g) graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full sheet graham crackers)
- 6 Tablespoons (87g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
Filling
- 12 ounces (339g) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
Meringue Topping
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Make the crust: Click here for some handy graham cracker crust tips before you get started. Using a food processor or blender, grind graham crackers into crumbs. (Alternatively, you can crush them in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.) In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar with a rubber spatula until combined. (The mixture will be thick, coarse, and sandy.) Press crumbs evenly into each tartlet pan, making sure the crust is tight and compact. Pre-bake crusts for 10 minutes, then let cool.
- Make the filling: Place chocolate and butter in a large bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat heavy cream. Whisking constantly, bring to a slow boil. Once it begins to boil, immediately remove from heat and pour over chocolate. Using a wooden spoon, slowly stir until chocolate and butter are completely melted and ganache is smooth.
- Pour the filling evenly into each crust and place each tartlet pan in the refrigerator. Chill at least 2 hours (and up to 1-2 days) or until completely firm.
- Just before serving, prepare meringue topping: Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with two inches of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and egg whites are warm to the touch, about 4 minutes. (See photo above.) Transfer the mixing bowl to an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes until soft, glossy peaks form. (See photo above.) Add vanilla and beat on high just until combined.
- Remove tartlets from the refrigerator. Spread marshmallow topping on each. Toast the topping with a kitchen torch3 if desired. Serve immediately. Any leftover tarts keep well in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare tarts through step 4 and keep the tarts in the refrigerator for up to 2 days as instructed in step 4.
- Cream of Tartar: Necessary to make the marshmallow topping for both stabilization and texture. There are no alternatives.
- Pans: I recommend individual pans because the tarts are a little hard to remove from the pans for serving. So, I serve them in the individual pans. Here is the set I own. If you do not have individual tartlet pans, use a cupcake pan to make about 16 tartlets– and make sure you use cupcake wrappers! You can also make this into a 9-inch tart using a tart pan. It will be easy to slice and remove from the full size tart pan! Pre-bake crust for 10 minutes no matter which size you use.
- Tip: Do not toast the topping in the oven. The ganache will melt and the topping will lose some shape. You need quick, instant heat from a torch. Again, it is optional to toast the topping.
Keywords: s'mores tartlets, s'mores tart
Dig in.
Like Stephanie above, I tried the topping a few times and couldn’t get it to thicken to peaks. I live in a very arid environment so I know humidity isn’t the problem, but I wonder if altitude is? I live at almost 6,000 feet above sea level. The first time I made it was with the 1/8 tsp of cream of tartar as was cled for in the recipe. It was wet and runny like milk, so I tossed it and tried again. The second time, I used 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar and it made it a little fluffier, but it was still pretty loose so I added about an 1/8 more while beating it. It thickened a little bit but not enough so I put it on the tartlets and put them in my freezer for a few hours and it stiffened up a little bit. It was flat across the top like a melted marshmallow. I let it thaw before we ate it and it was very gooey, but not runny. Even though the topping was a flop, everyone seemed to love it.
Next time I make this, I am going to try 1 tsp of cream of tartar.
★★★★