The Crooked Ladle

Lovers of Chocolate Mousse Pie

Chocolate Mousse Pie - For Lovers...of Chocolate

Decadant Chocolate Mousse Pie

For special occasions, my family requests this dessert more than any other and I'm so glad they do because it is deceivingly easy to make. I mean how can one go wrong with such rich ingredients as chocolate, cream, butter and eggs. And...there's no baking involved. This dessert has been proven to be perfect for any time of year. You can add a whipped cream topping onto the pie, but I usually just like to add a dolop on to each individual pie piece.

Prep Time: 45 Minutes

Cook Time: None

Suggested Tools:

· Electric Food Processor or rolling pin for crushing the cookies

· Electric Mixer

· Double boiler or make-shift double boiler

(see below in Filling Instructions)

· 10-inch round spring-form pan

· Medium Bowl

· Measuring cup

· 2 Small bowls

· Spatula

· Water glass with flat bottom

· Dinner fork

· Sturdy whisk (a flimsy one won’t work)

Crust –

Ingredients:

· 3 cups crushed chocolate wafers or regular Oreo cookie crumbs

(the equivalent of about 25 standard Oreos)

· 1 cube melted butter

Note: Wafers are a bit more expensive and I prefer the Oreos because the crust isn’t as firm.

Instructions:

Spread the crumbs in the bottom of the spring-form pan. Pour the melted butter around the crumbs and mix well with a dinner fork until the crumbs are damp with the butter. Flatten the crumbs with the bottom of a flat bottom water glass. Cool in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes before pouring the mousse filling into it. It can stay in the refrigerator until the filling is ready. If you need to cool it quickly for some reason, you can put it in the freezer for about five minutes.

Filing –

- 1- pound semi-sweet chocolate chips or 2 2/3 cups

- 2 cups heavy whipping cream

- 6 tablespoons confectioner sugar

- 4 large egg whites (room temperature)

- 4 large egg yolks (room temperature)

- 2 large whole eggs (room temperature)

Instructions:

Melt the chocolate in either a double boiler or a make-shift double boiler (this would be a large pan one-third filled with water with a 2-quart pot inside. The chocolate chips would go into the 2-quart pot). To melt the chocolate, bring the water up to a simmer and allow the chocolate to melt slowly, giving it a stir every five minutes. This should take about 20-minutes. Allow the chocolate to cool to a lukewarm temperature. Meanwhile you can prepare the egg whites and whipping cream.

With an electric mixer, beat the four egg whites until they are somewhat stiff and white. Pour them into a medium bowl and set aside until it is ready to blend into the chocolate.

Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream about two minutes until there are soft peaks. Add the confectioner sugar and whip for another couple minutes until it is at full whipped volume with higher stiffer peaks. Set aside until needed to incorporate into the warm chocolate.

To the chocolate, using a whisk, quickly mix in the two whole eggs. Then whisk in the four egg yolks, a little at a time. It is very important that the eggs be at room temperature; otherwise, the chocolate will seize up. Once the eggs are completely incorporated into the chocolate, you may begin folding in the prepared whipped egg whites and whipped cream into the chocolate. This is best done by alternating the egg whites and then the whipped cream taking about one-third of each at a time until the folding process is complete. You will see that the chocolate which was once darker is now much lighter and with much more volume.

Note: If your chocolate does seize up, this can be corrected sometimes by adding very warm cream to the chocolate one tablespoon at a time and stir firmly. Keep adding the cream this way until the chocolate is smooth again.

Optional Topping –

This can be topped individually on top of each pie serving.

- Two cups heavy whipping cream

- 6 tablespoons or to taste confectioner sugar

Instructions:

With an electric mixer, whip the cream for a couple minutes until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and whip again for 2-3 minutes more until fully whipped to form firmer peaks.

This completes the process. Refrigerate the pie for at least 6 hours or better yet, overnight prior to serving.

Go forth and endulge...