After our Parent’s Night Out dinner a couple weeks ago, I needed to know how to make the Smoked S’mores dessert that ended our evening and Room Forty was kind enough to share the recipe with us. If you want to make a truly special dessert, here’s how to do it…

Smoked S’mores in a Jar
(makes 4 servings)

To make the graham cracker soil base, you’ll need:
-7 whole graham crackers (1 cup/250 mL finely crushed)
-1/4 cup powdered sugar
-6 tbsp  (3 ounces) butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag. Finely crush into crumbs using a rolling pin.

3. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter in small bowl. Lay all the ingredients flat on a baking sheet and bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling.

4. After your baked off crust has cooled, place it into a mixing bowl and crush with your hands until you have a uniform crumble that has no big chunks in it. Your crumble should resemble the consistency of soil.

5. This will go down first into your jar of choice, then your chocolate mousse filling, and then one more layer of soil. 

To make the chocolate mousse filling, you’ll need:
-6 oz chocolate
-6 oz butter
-1/8 cup instant coffee
-1/4 vanilla bean

Place a large pot of water on the stove to simmer, put all ingredients in a stainless steal mixing bowl, and place the mixing bowl on the simmering pot of water. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. The steam from the water will melt all the ingredients. Emulsify the mixture with a hand blender when fully melted. Set aside for now.

Then add… 

-4 yolks
-3/4 c. sugar
-1/8 c. cognac
-1 tablespoon water

1. Place sugar and yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed with the whisk attachment till the eggs become pale, around 2 minutes.

2. With the mixer on, slowly drizzle in the cognac and water till the mixture is fully incorporated.  Add to the chocolate mixture and using the above boiler method cook, everything until it thickens—about 8 minutes.

Now make a meringue to add to it with… 

-4 egg whites
-1 tablespoon sugar
-½ t. vanilla extract
-Pinch of maldon salt
-1/3 c. cream

1. Let the egg whites come to room temperature. Place them in the bottom of a bowl of a stand mixer.

2. With the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium speed to form soft peaks. This should take around 3-5 minutes depending on the size of the eggs. With the mixer on, slowly drizzle vanilla, salt and sugar into the whipped egg whites. Add the sugar ¼ at a time. If you add the sugar too fast it will deflate the egg whites and you will have to start over. 

3. Fold this mixture into the cooked chocolate mixture after it has cooled to below body temperature.

4. Using a metal bowl and a whisk, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Then fold your whipped cream into the above mixture.

The final step is to pour this mixture into your jar over the graham soil and refrigerate.

Finally, make the meringue topping…

-1/4 cup egg whites (about 2 large eggs)
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
-Pinch fine salt 

1. Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a mixing bowl above the water.

2. Whisk together the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl by hand.

3. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch (aprox. 135 degrees F) and the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water, the steam should be the source of heat.

4. Transfer the bowl’s contents to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks, around 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue to beat the egg whites till stiff peaks form, around 3 minutes.  

5. Cool meringue, about 10 minutes. Then transfer this mixture to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe it on to your s’mores mousse you have setting in the fridge. Using a small kitchen torch, torch the meringue just for a little bit of color if you’d like.

6. To add smoke (optional), use a jar with a lid and a smoking gun to add a woodsy accent to the s’mores and enjoy!

P.S. The graham soil can be made up to two days in advance and the chocolate mousse and meringue can be made the night before serving.

{Photos by Ryan Haack, recipe by Room Forty}