Chocolate S’mores Tart

Halloween. The annual darkness holiday, the celebration that Alaska does in full dark because by October 31 the darkness is in charge and the costumes go over parkas and the trick-or-treating happens in headlamps. I went to Angela's house — Angela, nine months pregnant, sitting on the couch like a woman who has been taken hostage by her own body, unable to stand for more than five minutes without needing to sit again, the baby pressing on everything, the body performing its final preparations for the delivery that is now weeks away.

James handed out candy with the precision of an engineer (one piece per child, no exceptions, unless the costume was really good, in which case two pieces — James has a weakness for creative costumes). I sat next to Angela and we watched the trick-or-treaters through the window and I thought about next Halloween — Angela with a baby. Angela as a mother. The thought was warm and large and full of the future in a way that thoughts rarely are, usually the future being a source of anxiety rather than warmth, but this future has a baby in it and the baby changes the temperature of the thinking.

I made champorado for the evening — the chocolate rice porridge, the warm-sweet comfort food. Angela ate two bowls. The baby kicked through both bowls. The kicking was the baby's review: two bowls of champorado, approved.

Champorado — warm chocolate rice porridge — is what I brought to Angela’s couch that Halloween, the food that matched the mood: dark outside, warm inside, sweet and grounding and exactly right for sitting next to a very pregnant woman watching small costumed people move through headlamp beams. If you don’t have glutinous rice and tablea on hand, this Chocolate S’mores Tart is the recipe I reach for when I need that same effect — rich chocolate doing its quiet work, the toasted marshmallow on top adding just enough lightness to keep it from being serious. Two bowls of champorado got two kicks of approval; I’m confident this tart would have earned the same review.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes (includes chilling) | Servings: 10

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full crackers)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup heavy cream
10 oz dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

Prepare the crust. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed.
Press and bake. Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the crust is set and lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Make the ganache filling. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer — do not boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate and butter pieces in a heatproof bowl. Let sit undisturbed for 2 minutes, then whisk from the center outward until completely smooth and glossy. Stir in vanilla extract and sea salt.
Fill the tart shell. Pour the warm ganache into the cooled crust and smooth the surface with a spatula. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours, or until the ganache is fully set and firm to the touch.
Top with marshmallows. When ready to serve, scatter mini marshmallows evenly over the surface of the tart, covering the chocolate completely.
Toast the topping. Use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows until golden brown, working in small circular motions for even color. Alternatively, place the tart under a broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely — marshmallows brown fast. Serve immediately while the marshmallow topping is warm and yielding over the cold ganache beneath.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chocolate S’mores Tart — The Baby Approved It With Two Kicks