He did the mash! He did the monster mash…
One of my favorite aspects of the end of summer is that it is autumn and Halloween recipe planning time. I brainstormed ideas from witch’s hat cheese dip to cotton candy cobwebs to the perfect pumpkin cakes to witch’s finger breadsticks, but nothing stood out. I really wanted to make something unique, and finally, these meringue ghost tartlets with a luscious chocolate ganache and a warm pumpkin graham cracker crust came to mind.
I have to admit (and I’m sure you can tell): I prefer the cute Halloween to the gruesome Halloween. Something about bloody, scarlet-colored cupcakes, faux creature-infested drinks, and squishy, bright pink brain appetizers is not appetizing to me (but I do think they look very cool). That’s why these tartlets are just the right amount of “eerie” for me. Let’s talk ingredients.
I love how this recipe incorporates THE “Halloween” and autumn flavor – pumpkin – represented by the graham cracker crust. I never thought adding pumpkin to graham cracker would taste so good. The fresh pumpkin purée paired with toasty graham cracker is like the base of s’mores elevated to another level. Just be careful not to add too much of the pumpkin to the graham cracker mix or the crust will become too oily and soft. Yes, that definitely happened to me.
The oh so good ganache – what more is there to say about it? If you’re like me and prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate, then this ganache is for you. It’s silky, smooth, and on the darker side (no pun intended 🙂 ). In order to make the best ganache, don’t forget to use the best quality chocolate you can get your hands on. It makes all the difference! One more note about this ganache – it firms up when cooled (but does not become rock hard!), which to me, is the best part. Therefore, when the meringue develops a hard shell with a soft, fluffy inside, the ganache has a beautiful, silky texture. Speaking of the meringue…
How cute are these ghosts?! I mean, they are so easy to make. The meringue, even its name, may haunt you (muahaha), but believe it or not, it’s easier to make than buttercream, in my opinion. Egg whites, sugar, and some elbow grease/ the whisk of an electric mixer are all that’s needed to whip up a meringue to perfectly stiff peaks.
Happy Halloween, and enjoy this video for these tartlets! Bone appétit!
Meringue Ghost Tartlets with Pumpkin Graham Cracker Crust
Pumpkin Graham Cracker Crust
- 10 large graham cracker planks
- 6 tbsp of unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp of pumpkin purée
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 oz of bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream or milk ((any kind))
Meringue Ghosts
- 6 large egg whites
- 1-1/2 cup of white, granulated sugar
- 1 tsp of cocoa powder
- 1 tsp of water
- Preheat oven to 350? F. Grease four 4″ in diameter tartlet pans.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add all ingredients for graham cracker crust. Mix well. Pack about 2 tbsp of the crust mixture into each tartlet pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is firm. Allow to cool.
- Allow heavy cream (or milk) to simmer in medium saucepan for 10 minutes. Once it is hot, add chopped chocolate to heavy cream, and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes. Whisk chocolate and heavy cream until a velvety ganache forms. Add about 2 tbsp of ganache to each tartlet (spread evenly in the crust). Set aside.
- To make the meringue ghosts, add egg whites and sugar to a heatproof, medium-sized mixing bowl. Place bowl on top of saucepan filled with about 3 inches of simmering water over low heat. Whisk, and allow mixture to stay heated until sugar has completely dissolved. Once sugar has completely dissolved, transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer, and whisk until mixture forms stiff peaks.
- In a small bowl, mix together cocoa powder and water. Transfer meringue to a piping bag with a large round tip, and pipe ghosts onto each tartlet. With a toothpick, apply the cocoa powder mixture to the ghosts to make their faces. Serve, and happy Halloween!