Fingers crossed you love s’mores and all the delicious flavors the campfire treat brings. Crackling fire or not, I love serving this nostalgic dessert in many different forms. With desserts like no bake s’mores cake, s’mores brownie cupcakes, s’mores brownie pie, s’mores rice krispie treats—and now s’mores chocolate mousse—we can all agree that s’mores-ifying desserts is never going out of style. National S’mores Day is August 10th, so I’m using this celebration as an excuse to show you how to make real chocolate mousse. We’ll layer the homemade chocolate mousse with graham cracker crumbs and top the whole parfait with homemade marshmallow creme, aka creamy sweet meringue. We’re toasting that marshmallow, too. ♥ If there’s ever been a good excuse to own a kitchen torch (affiliate link, it’s my favorite), s’mores chocolate mousse is it!
Let’s Make Chocolate Mousse
Have you ever made chocolate mousse before? If not, let me teach you. While the ingredient list is pretty basic, there’s a few steps requiring your attention. Helpful preliminary information: you need 2 cups of heavy cream total. Use some in the beginning, then the rest towards the end. Whip the heavy cream, pictured below, then fold in the chocolate mixture. This from-scratch chocolate mousse is like a lighter, fluffier, richer tasting chocolate pudding. It’s fantastic plain or you can serve it with whipped cream and fresh berries. The best way to serve it, as you can guess, is with graham crackers and homemade marshmallow. 🙂
How to Make Marshmallow Cream
I’ve taught you how to make homemade marshmallow creme a few times before: Brownie Baked Alaska, S’mores Brownie Cupcakes, and Chocolate Mousse Pie. It’s basically Swiss Meringue, but don’t let the word “meringue” frighten you. This is a simple 4 ingredient mixture cooked on the stovetop, then beaten into stiff peaks. It tastes like marshmallow fluff– but better because it’s homemade. Whisk egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar together in a double boiler or heat-proof bowl over a small pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar has dissolved and mixture has thinned out, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract, then whip on high speed for 5-6 minutes until stiff glossy peaks form. Whipping is where the magic happens. The mixture will go from thin liquid to as voluminous as the puffiest cloud in the sky. It’s soft, creamy, sweet, and sticky—all the best parts of marshmallow! (It’s like Swiss Meringue Buttercream, just without the butter.) What’s the cream of tartar for? Cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites and helps the meringue hold its stiff peaks, just like when we make French macarons and chocolate soufflé. It’s an imperative ingredient.
Assemble the S’mores Chocolate Mousse
We will make alternating layers similar to how we assemble chocolate dirt pudding. The chocolate mousse must chill for at least 3 hours before serving. The chilling stage creates that cold, creamy, mousse-like texture. Therefore, I recommend layering the mousse into custard cups, ramekins, or little jars with the graham cracker crumbs before chilling. Chill in the refrigerator, then make the marshmallow creme and pipe it on top of each layered mousse cup. I only use my kitchen torch a few times per year, but when I need it, I’m SO thankful I have it. Heck, you can’t make awesome crème brûlée without it! What a difference this tool makes in the flavor and texture of your desserts. Whip it out and toast the marshmallow topping. You won’t regret it. Will you just look at this spoonful!!
