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–+ servings

S'mores Chocolate Mousse Ice Box Cake

Layers of graham crackers, creamy chocolate mousse, decadent chocolate ganache, and a fluffy meringue is what makes up this s'mores chocolate mousse ice box cake. This no bake dessert is easy to make and will no doubt be a crowd pleaser at your next get together. 
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients
 

Chocolate Mousse

  • 4 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (480 grams) heavy whipping cream divided
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate bars chopped

Chocolate Ganache

  • ¾ cup (180 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 ½ cups (270 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Meringue

  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Graham Crackers

  • 1 box regular Graham Crackers amount will vary depending on pan

Instructions

Chocolate Mousse

  • Pour 2 cups (480 grams) of heavy whipping cream into a measuring cup. Pour ¾ cup (180 grams) of that 2 cups into a separate cup/bowl, and put the 1 ¼ cups (300 grams) of heavy cream back into the fridge. You will use this later.
  • Chop your chocolate and set aside.
  • Separate the yolks from the egg whites and set the egg whites aside - you will use them later for the meringue.
  • Fill a sauce pan with two inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  • In a medium-sized heat proof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt until smooth. Place the bowl on the pot over the simmering water and continuously whisk while the mixture heats up. It should get to about 160F, although you don’t actually need to use a thermometer if you don’t have one. This should take about 4 minutes on medium heat.
  • Meanwhile, microwave the ¾ cup (180 grams) of heavy cream that you set aside for 30-45 seconds. It should be luke warm. Once the egg mixture has reached 160F or it has been 4-5 minutes, slowly pour the warmed heavy cream into the eggs while continuously whisking. Keep whisking the mixture for another 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from on top of the saucepan, add the vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
  • Add the chopped chocolate to a microwave safe bowl and microwave it in 30 second increments, stirring in between each increment until completely melted and smooth. You can also do this over the stove using a double boiler.
  • Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and whisk until completely combined. Set aside.
  • Remove the 1 ¼ cups (300 grams) of heavy cream you put in the fridge and pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl if using a handheld mixer. Beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until medium peaks form. Medium peaks are in between soft peaks and stiff peaks - so not fully formed into whipped cream yet, but not super soft either.
  • Pour the chocolate/egg mixture into the whipped cream and fold them together using a rubber spatula until combined. Avoid over mixing, as the whipped cream can lose all the air you just whipped into it and deflate.
  • Pour the mixture into a wide bowl and chill in the fridge.

Chocolate Ganache

  • In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the heavy cream until bubbles begin to form at the sides of the pot. About 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour in chocolate chips.
  • Allow the mixture to sit for 3 minutes, then stir with a whisk to combine. The warm heavy cream should have melted the chocolate.  Pour the mixture into a wide bowl and chill in the fridge.
  • Once you put the ganache in the fridge, leave the ganache and the mousse to chill for 1 ½ hours. In this time, the ganache will thicken and the mousse will thicken and set (not completely set, but you should be able to tell it is firming up - you don’t want it to be soupy).

Meringue

  • Once the 1 ½ hours is up, make the meringue.
  • Fill a sauce pan with about two inches of water and bring it to a gentle simmer. 
  • In a heat proof bowl, mix the egg whites you set aside, sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla extract. Place the bowl on the sauce pan over the simmering water but do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the simmering water. If you think there is too much water, pour a little out. You can also use a double boiler if you have one.
  • Continuously whisk while the mixture heats up. It will start out thick but will thin out as you keep on whisking. Whisk for about 4-5 minutes until the mixture is thin and frothy on top. If you have a thermometer, it should be around 160F.
  • Remove from the heat. Using a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (preferred method), beat on high speed for 5-6 minutes until luscious, puffy, stiff peaks form.

Assemble

  • Line a standard 9x5 inch loaf pan with either wax paper or plastic wrap. I find wax paper is best for lifting the dessert out of the pan.
  • Put each component (the meringue, ganache, and mousse) in their own piping bags. If you don’t have piping bags, you can also use a spoon to scoop the mixtures into your pan and spread into an even layer with an offset or rubber spatula.
  • Working in layers, begin to fill up your pan. Start with the meringue, then graham crackers, then mousse, then graham crackers, then ganache, and repeat. It is totally up to you how much you spoon of each layer, so feel free to include more of one thing or less of another. But make sure to leave enough meringue to frost the sides of the cake! For my exact layering, see the blog post above. 
  • Refrigerate your ice box cake for at least three hours or overnight before frosting. For best results, let your cake set in the fridge for 3 hours, then in the freezer for one hour before removing from the pan, frosting, and serving.
  • To remove the cake from the pan, lift the plastic wrap or wax paper up gently. You may need to run a sharp knife along the sides of the pan to loosen it. To be honest, this cake is a b*tch to get out, but just try your best. Any imperfections will be covered up by the leftover meringue.
  • Once the cake is removed, frost the tops and sides with the remaining meringue. Use a kitchen torch to toast the sides if desired. Store in the fridge/freezer until ready to serve.
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