Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Happy Birthday, Miss K! (redux)



On the other side of my reality – work – another Miss K had a birthday. She requested Chocolate Raspberry Mousse pie - a creamy cool treat. I came up with the recipe based on a couple of different ones.

Like most dessert recipes, it’s best to use the best chocolate you can get, but chocolate being yummy in almost any form, you can’t go too wrong with using basic chocolate chips (white, milk, or semi-sweet).

Chocolate Mousse Pie

Chocolate cookie crumb crust (made with Oreos or Chocolate Graham crackers or other chocolate cookies)

4 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
12 ounces chocolate, chopped – semisweet, white, dark, or milk
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
1/4 cup liqueur – Raspberry (framboise), Amaretto, Kahlua, or Irish Crème

Whisk eggs and sugar in large bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) and whisk frequently until candy thermometer registers 160°F. Remove bowl from over water, and beat egg mixture until cool and very thick.

Melt chocolate by placing in top of double boiler over simmering water or by slowly heating in microwave (1 minute on low). Stir until melted and smooth. Remove chocolate from over water. Cool to luke warm, and mix in with egg mixture.

Combine cream and liqueur in medium bowl; beat to stiff peaks. Fold in cream mixture (if the chocolate mixture is very thick, start by mixing in about ¼ cup of whipped cream, then gently fold remaining cream into chocolate-egg mixture). Pour into prepared crust, cover, and chill until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Can be served with additional whipped cream.