Chapter 5

Decadent Desserts

When nothing but the best of the best will do, look to this chapter for s’mores-inspired greatness. From chocolaty bread pudding served with sweet marshmallow syrup to buttery, cream-filled éclairs, you’ll find decadence in every bite.

Best suited for dinner parties, the recipes found here are a bit more complex and time-intensive, but worth every minute spent on the preparation. Your guests will delight in the familiar childhood s’mores flavors, but relish the adult presentation. S’mores Dip with fresh berries, anyone? Gorgeously layered trifles? Crunchy, sugary, drool-worthy crème brûlée? Go ahead … indulge. You’re a grownup now.

S’mores Chocolate Bread Pudding

Thick, eggy, sweet, and luscious, bread pudding is an after-dinner delight. Popular especially in the South, bread pudding is surprisingly simple to make and offers a wonderful texture and flavor. The addition of graham crumbs and chocolate to this version results in a s’mores-inspired treat you’ll want to make time and again.

Yields: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

8 slices French bread

1 cup roughly chopped graham crackers

11⁄2 cups milk

1⁄2 cup heavy cream

3 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 tablespoon butter

2 large eggs

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Simple Marshmallow Syrup (see Chapter 11), to top

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9" × 9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Toast the bread in the oven until just toasted and lightly golden. Remove from the oven. Tear the bread into large pieces and place evenly in the prepared baking dish. Scatter the chopped crackers over the bread pieces.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, chocolate, and butter. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted, about 4–5 minutes.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture until combined. Pour over the bread and graham crackers.
  4. Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until just set. Remove from the oven. Serve warm (or cool) with marshmallow syrup.

S’mores Mousse Cups

These treats offer an elegant presentation and rich flavor without being over the top. An added bonus is the fact that they can be prepared well in advance and refrigerated until just before serving … no need to rush around!

Yields: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Mousse

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1⁄2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons milk

3 eggs, yolks and whites separated

3⁄4 cup butter

3⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To Assemble

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup tiny marshmallows

Chocolate Ganache (see Chapter 11), to top

1 cup whipped cream

Chocolate shavings, to garnish

  1. To make the mousse: In a medium saucepan, melt the unsweetened chocolate over low heat. While it melts, whisk the sugar, milk, and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Once the chocolate is melted, add the sugar/egg mixture. Stir constantly until smooth and thickened, about 7–9 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool completely.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until fluffy, then add half of the confectioners’ sugar and beat for 2 more minutes.
  3. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the butter and beat well; leave in the mixing bowl.
  4. In a separate mixing bowl, whip the egg whites and salt to stiff peaks. Gradually add in the remaining confectioners’ sugar.
  5. Fold the egg white meringue into the chocolate mixture, then add the vanilla. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to cool for 1 hour or more.
  6. To assemble: Line 8 dessert glasses up in a row in assembly line fashion. Spoon graham crumbs evenly into the bottom of each glass.
  7. Mix the marshmallows into the container of mousse; top the graham crumbs with the mousse. Add a spoonful of ganache to the top of the mousse, then pipe or spoon a dollop of whipped cream to the top of the glass. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.

S’mores Éclairs

Baked but unfilled éclairs and cream puffs can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months in an airtight container.

Yields: 40–48 small éclairs

INGREDIENTS

1 cup whole milk

1 cup water

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

7 large eggs, at room temperature

3⁄4 cup graham cracker crumbs

4 cups whipped cream

1 cup Chocolate Ganache (see Chapter 11)

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil. Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium, and stir the mixture quickly with a wooden spoon. After 1 minute, reduce the heat to low and stir for 3 more minutes. The dough will be smooth and shiny.
  3. Transfer the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the dough for 5 minutes to cool.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg has been added. The dough will separate, but it will come back together after some time.
  5. Place the dough into a piping bag with a 1" opening. Pipe the dough into 3"–4" lengths onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. Use a moistened finger to touch up any jagged dough edges, if necessary.
  6. Bake the éclairs for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking time.
  7. To make the filling, fold the graham cracker crumbs into the whipped cream.
  8. Once the éclairs are cooled, fill with whipped cream, using a long, narrow piping tip.

CREAM PUFFS

The same dough used to make éclairs, called pâte à choux, is used to make cream puffs. Once you have the dough prepared, simply pipe small rounds onto the prepared baking sheet, or you can opt to use a spring-loaded cookie scoop to make the puffs. Bake cream puffs for 18 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Fill as desired.

Mini S’mores Trifles

Trifles are an easy and beautiful way to prepare a variety of desserts. The beauty is in the multiple layers; seen through the glass, no guest will be able to resist it. To prevent the graham cereal from becoming soggy, prepare these trifles just before serving. All of the ingredients can be prepared in advance, then quickly assembled after dinner.

Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

11⁄2 cups crushed chocolate graham crackers

11⁄2 cups Marshmallow Frosting (see Chapter 11), divided

2 cups Chocolate Pudding (see Chapter 11)

11⁄2 cups graham cereal

Homemade Chocolate Syrup (see Chapter 11), to garnish

  1. Evenly spoon the chocolate graham crumbs into the bottom of 6 small jars or trifle dishes. Layer each jar with 2 tablespoons of the frosting; set aside remaining 3⁄4 cup frosting. Continue the layering with the pudding, followed by the graham cereal.
  2. Top each trifle with a piping or spoonful of the remaining 3⁄4 cup Marshmallow Frosting; garnish with chocolate syrup, if desired.

PRESENTATION

Any small glass jar is suitable for this dessert, including a jam or jelly jar. For this presentation, it is easier to place the pudding and the frosting in separate piping bags (without a tip) to aid in cleanly layering the small jars.

S’mores Crème Brûlée

Crème brûlée is quite simple to prepare, as it is basically a pudding that has been baked. The best part of crème brûlée, though? The crunch of the sugar crust! A quick placement under the oven broiler works best here, but a kitchen torch works as well. Don’t forget to add a bit of marshmallow before serving!

Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

13⁄4 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg yolks

1⁄4 cup sugar

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Sugar, for the brûlée, as needed

Graham cracker crumbs, for garnish

Homemade Marshmallows, Marshmallow Frosting (see Chapter 11 for both recipes), or Marshmallow Fluff, as desired

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place 4 (4-ounce) ramekins on a baking sheet.
  2. Combine the cream and vanilla in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat to a simmer; remove from heat.
  3. Place the egg yolks in a large bowl with 1⁄4 cup sugar; beat for 2–3 minutes or until well combined. Whisk in the hot cream mixture, about 1⁄4 cup at a time, until you have added half of it to the yolks. Add the remaining cream and whisk until smooth.
  4. Stir in the chopped chocolate, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
  5. Whisk the mixture until the chocolate is smooth and thoroughly combined. Pour into the ramekins and bake until the center is set, 12–16 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator. Chill for 4 hours or overnight.
  6. Sprinkle the tops of each ramekin with sugar until evenly coated. Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet, and place under the broiler in the upper third of the oven for 2–4 minutes, or toast with a kitchen torch. Top with a sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs and a toasted marshmallow, a dollop of Marshmallow Fluff, or frosting.

S’mores Dip

Destined to be a party favorite, S’mores Dip is impossibly easy to prepare (three ingredients!), and incredibly versatile. Of course, serve the dip with graham crackers, but also offer your guests a variety of other items to experiment with. Strawberries, bananas, apples, cake, cookies—the possibilities are endless and all are wonderful!

Yields: 14–16 servings

INGREDIENTS

11⁄2 cups dark or semisweet chocolate chips

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2⁄3 cup Marshmallow Fluff

Homemade Graham Crackers (see Chapter 11), as needed, for serving

  1. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir. Pour in the can of condensed milk, and microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat in 30-second increments until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth.
  2. Pour the mixture into a serving bowl, then drop spoonfuls of fluff into the bowl. Use a sharp knife to swirl the fluff into the chocolate. Serve with graham crackers to dip.