s'more tart

For the crust:

• 4½ ounces graham crackers
• pinch of table salt
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons of melted, unsalted butter

For the dark chocolate filling:

• 3½ ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

For the Swiss meringue:

• 2 egg whites
• ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or oh I paste, optional

Instructions

Start with the crusts:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F (standard oven setting).
2. Wrap the cookies in a tea towel and crush with a rolling pin until all that's left is fine crumbs. Stir in the salt and cinnamon. Alternatively, place the cookies in a food processor with the cinnamon and salt and pulse until combined and finely ground.
3. Place the crumb mixture in a medium-sized bowl and stir in the melted butter.
4. Using the back of a spoon, press the crumb mixture firmly into four mini tart pans (mine were 10-cm/4-inches in diameter).
5. Bake the crusts for 10 minutes, or until slightly golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, make the chocolate filling:

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-sized, heatproof bowl.
2. Combine the cream and sugar in a small saucepan and place over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Scald the mixture, then immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit undisturbed for about 1 minute, then whisk the ganache until completely smooth.
3. Divide the ganache over the cooled tart crusts and place in the fridge to set, about 1 hour.

In the meantime, make the Swiss meringue:

1. In a medium-sized, heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar.
2. Place the bowl over a small pan with simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl.
3. Keep whisking the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. You can easily check whether the sugar has dissolved by rubbing a bit of the mixture between your fingers; the mixture shouldn’t feel grainy. If you’re not worried about salmonella, you can take the mixture off the heat at this point.
4. If you want to pasteurize the meringue, keep whisking until the mixture reaches a temperature of 71°C/160°F. Once the meringue reaches the desired temperature, take it off the heat.
5. Using a hand held or a stand mixer, beat the warm mixture until the meringue holds stiff peaks and has cooled to room temperature. Set aside.
6. Check whether the ganache filling has set. If it has, take the tarts out of the fridge and transfer the meringue to a piping bag with a star tip.
7. If you want to, remove the tarts from the tart pans by dipping the bottom of each pan in a bowl of hot water for about 15 seconds, inverting the pans over a cutting board and gently rapping them on the board to release the tarts. Don't forget to place them right side up again before piping
8. Pipe little meringue kisses on the surface of the ganache. Or, if you don't have a piping bag, spoon the meringue on top of the ganache, using the back of a spoon to make cute swirls.
9. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue topping, being careful not to burn it.
10. Serve immediately or place in the fridge until ready