Useful things to remember:
Always write a thank you note immediately. It will otherwise languish on your to-do list, and sending them late is really just impolite.
You can absolutely go swimming past October 15 and it will feel wildly invigorating as both an early morning wakeup and a post-evening-run cool down.
You will spend most of your years before age 28 trying to figure out when it’s cool to care a lot and when to try to appear as if you don’t care at all. Some years later, you’ll begin to get more and more comfortable being the person who cares, sometimes too much. You’ll start to consider that a gift.
Briefly heating a lemon in the microwave for a few seconds makes it much easier to juice.
Taking a walk usually helps, regardless of the issue at hand.
You will never regret taking a run. You will often regret not taking one.
Read (more books, less online).
Clean as you go.
S’mores season is over when I say it’s over (never).
On that last one, just because it’s a wee bit too chilly to lounge outside around a fire after a cookout (although it’s certainly not too cold yet for a beach bonfire or an overnight hiking trip), you don’t have to give up on the tried-and-true s’mores trifecta of buttery-crunchy-crisp-cookie + warm-sweet-melty-chocolate + gooey-sugary-fluffy-marshmallow.
There are ways to channel s’mores into a dessert. You could make a s’mores pie, s’mores cookies, or a s’mores cake. It’s easy to translate into ice cream or scones or muffins, I’m sure. I’ve made s’mores waffles, too, and those are not bad.
Today though, let’s take a looser approach. This tart is inspired by s’mores, rather than a full-on re-creation of it. You’ve got a buttery shortbread crust, a creamy chocolate pudding filling, and an ethereally light and sweet meringue topping.
One of the best things about this recipe is that each component is worth making on its own: you could pair the meringue with all sorts of pies or tarts, or even poach it in custard and turn it into îles flottantes. The pudding is great on its own. The crust is an excellent base for lots of fillings—notably pear frangipane or Bakewell or lemon curd.
I make mine in a long rectangular tart pan, but you can easily use a standard 9” round.
Chocolate Pudding Meringue Tart
Makes one 9” round tart or one 14” x 4” rectangular tart
For the crust
4 tablespoons (56g) butter, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup (120g) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the filling + topping
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
2 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (198g) sugar, divided
2 cups (454g) whole milk
1 tablespoon butter
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 375° F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the softened butter and egg yolk and stir until well combined. Press the shortbread mixture firmly into a 14” x 4” rectangular tart pan or a 9” tart pan or pie pan. Prick all over with a fork and bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the filling.
For the filling, whisk together the cornstarch, 3/4 cup of sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk in the milk and add the chocolate; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to melt the chocolate. Cook until the mixture thickens, then continue to cook for 1 more minute.
In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the 2 egg yolks. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the hot ingredients, whisking constantly.
Cook stirring, for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Let the pudding cool completely.
While the pudding cools, make the meringue. Beat 2 egg whites on high speed until frothy. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
Pour the pudding filling into the cooled shortbread crust. Spoon the meringue over top of the filling and smooth it over. Place the pie under a broiler (watch carefully!) until the meringue is toasted, or use a kitchen torch to brown the top. Let cool slightly then slice and serve.