All s'mores have to have graham crackers. You can make your own or buy a pre-made one (I won't tell). If you do use my graham cracker recipe, roll out the dough to the same thickness, press it into a pie plate, prick it with a fork a few times, and bake until golden. I'm not sure what the timing is, but just let it bake until it's golden and a little crispy. If you use a pre-made one, you might notice that it's a little crumbly. To solve that problem, I use a pastry brush to spread a very thin layer of egg white on and bake it until it's crispy again, which only takes a few minutes. Doing so makes one clean, smooth surface that protects against crumbling and prevents moisture from the filling from seeping into the crust. However, make sure this is just a very thin layer (just enough to make it barely moist) because you don't want to end up with bits of cooked egg in your pie.
And trust me, you don't want any of this delicious filling going anywhere but in your mouth. It's like chocolate ganache meets fudge meets mousse meets heaven. You start by making a basic ganache with hot cream and good chocolate (sorry if I sound like Ina Garten but you really do want to use at least decent chocolate here) and then add an egg. It's that simple. The egg enhances the creaminess, gives it more structure, and makes it even more fudgy. It's too dense to be a mousse, but it has the same richness.
Finally, there's the marshmallow topping. If you're running low on time, you can plop a handful of packaged marshmallows on top and be done with it, but nothing compares to the crisp, crackly crust of broiled homemade marshmallow fluff. I'll warn you it does take some time to make and is definitely not easy to clean up, but it tastes so good. Start by blooming powdered gelatin in your mixing bowl (basically add some water to it so it becomes a semisolid mass instead of powder). Next, heat sugar, corn syrup, and water until it reaches 260F (the hard-ball stage, if you were wondering), then slowly pour it into the gelatin as you mix it on medium speed. If you have a stand mixer, now is the time to use it, because you have to beat this mixture for around 10 minutes until it gets really thick and fluffy. Stir in some vanilla for flavor then quickly spoon it onto the pie. It firms up fairly quickly, and you don't want it to get stuck in the bowl and not on your pie.
To serve the pie, I highly recommend broiling it for a few minutes to make the marshmallows brown and crispy, like a real s'more. You want to stick the pie on the rack closest to the broiler and only leave it in there for a few seconds until it's brown. Watch it closely the whole time so you don't burn it. When it's done, you'll have a crunchy crust, incredibly gooey marshmallow, fudgy chocolate filling, and a crisp crust. It's the perfect dessert, and it would definitely be welcome alongside pumpkin pie at your Thanksgiving table.
1 Graham Cracker Crust
1 Egg
1 Egg White
7 oz Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Cream
1 tsp Gelatin
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Corn Syrup
1/2 tsp Vanilla
Heat oven to 350F.
Beat the egg white with 1 T water. Brush gently onto the crust and bake for 5 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Place the chocolate chips in a large bowl. Bring the cream to a boil, then pour over the chocolate. Stir until smooth and cool slightly. Whisk in the egg.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the cooled crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until just set.
Place 1/4 cup cold water in the bowl of a stand mixer; add the gelatin.
Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, stirring until dissolved, then let stand on medium heat until it reaches 260F.
Whip the gelatin mixture on medium speed, then gradually pour in the syrup. Scrape down the bowl, then beat on high until thick, white, and tripled in volume. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Spoon immediately onto the cooled pie. Chill.
When ready to serve, heat the broiler. Transfer the pie to a baking sheet and broil until golden.
Makes 1 Pie
Recipe Courtesy Gourmet
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