Easy Chocolate Mousse Pie

 Courtesy of: Cooking Classy

Servings: 10

Prep20minutes minutes

Cook15minutes minutes

Ready in: 4hours hours 20minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp (28g) salted butter, diced into 4 pieces
• 1 cup (6 oz) Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 cup (3 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups (104g) mini marshmallows
• 1/3 cup (80ml) milk (whole or 2%)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups (415ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1 (6 oz) store-bought chocolate cookie crust or Oreo pie crust

Topping

• 1 cup (235ml) heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp (25g) granulated sugar
• Chocolate shavings, for garnish**

Instructions

• Add butter, milk, semi-sweet chocolate chips, bittersweet chocolate chips and marshmallows to a large saucepan. 
• Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate and marshmallows have melted (it will take a while for the marshmallows to melt, keep stirring).
• Remove from heat, stir in vanilla pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool, about 45 - 60 minutes (it should be about room temperature). 
• Whip 1 3/4 cups heavy cream (preferably in a chilled bowl) until very stiff peaks form. Fold into cool chocolate mixture. 
• Pour chocolate mixture into Oreo crust and spread into an even layer (if you don't want it as tall as mine is you can just reserve some of the mousse chilled in cups for later).
• Chill in refrigerator 3 hours. 
• For the topping, whip remaining 1 cup cream with sugar (preferably in a cold mixing bowl) using an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. 
• Spread over pie, garnish with chocolate then cut into slices. Store pie in refrigerator. 


• **To make chocolate shavings just run a vegetable peeler down the sides of a bar of chocolate.

Chocolate Mousse Pie

Courtesy of: Karlie Merrill

Note: Sometimes it's a tiny bit lumpy, but honestly nobody has even noticed...especially once you get the whipped cream on top!

2 Oreo crusts (chocolate crusts are just not the same)

2 large eggs, room temperature

16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled 

4 large egg yolks, room temperature

4 large egg whites, room temperature

2 cups heavy cream

6 Tbsp powdered sugar

In large mixing bowl, beat whole eggs into melted chocolate.  Add 4 egg yolks and beat 4-5 minutes.  In small mixing bowl, beat 4 egg whites until stiff.  In another small mixing bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.  Stir 1/4 of egg whites and 1/4 of whipped cream into chocolate mixture.  Fold in remaining whites and whipped cream, blending thoroughly.  Pour into crust.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.  Can be made 3 days ahead.  Freezes beautifully.  If you freeze, just put into fridge the night before or morning of Thanksgiving.

Vacherin a la framboise (Raspberry ice cream cake)

Courtesy of: Gini Guerinot

Meringues

6 egg whites

1 3/4 C sugar

Separate the yolks from the white.  Whisk the whites until hard.  Then mix again and add the sugar very slowly while mixing.  Put it in pastry bag.  Put some parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Use a springform to create a circled meringue.  Do some little meringues for decoration.  Bake at 280 for 45 minutes.  Turn off oven and let the meringue completely dry.

Raspberry Sorbet

2 C raspberries

1/4 C sugar

1/4 C water

Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

Whip Cream

2 C Heavy cream

1/4 C sugar

Whip until hard.

Assemble the cake

Use the circle meringue at the bottom with the springform still there.  Put some vanilla ice cream slices.  Make sure it is all even.  You can use some surround wrap to push the ice cream so it is even everywhere.  Then spread the sorbet.  Put the whip cream in a pastry bag.  Decorate the cake with the little meringues and the whip cream.  Have fun!  Put back in the freezer until ready to eat.

Aunt Norma's Apple Pie

Courtesy of: Norma Larson

Makes 6 - 8" Pies

Pie Crust:

2 1/2 level cups flour
1 cup lard
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix with hands until lard is in small crumbles (about the size of a pea)

Add scant 1/2 cup milk, stir with knife

When using a food processor: Mix dry ingredients in food processor. Cut lard into small cubes. Add to dry ingredients and pulse a few times to incorporate lard. Slowly add milk while pulsing. Dough will be mixed when it begins to cling to sides. Do not over mix.

Roll out crust for each shell, cut off excess with the back of a knife. Pierce all over with fork.

Apple Filling:

About 12 large firm golden delicious apples, grated
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs lemon juice and grated lemon peel of 1 lemon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbs Clearjel or 4 Tbs Corn Starch

Melt butter, add grated apples, sugar (more if it is not sweet enough), and lemon juice & lemon peel

I let this sit on burner until the juice comes out of the apples (If not enough juice, add a bit of apple juice)

Add nutmeg and cinnamon
Add Clearjel (or drain juice off apples and thicken with about 4 Tbs. corn starch)

Makes three 8" tin foil pies.

Baking Directions:

Bake on a Cookie Sheet. Leave foil on pie and cut a large round opening in the foil. This prevents the edges from browning too quickly. If frozen bake 1 hr 20 min on 400 degrees - for the first 30 min 350 degrees for the remaining time. Remove foil for last 15 minutes of baking if not yet browned.

If fresh bake for 1 hour on 400 degrees

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

courtesy of Leslie Horn

1- 9 inch pastry crust (you can use a ready-made crust or make your own)
3 T. cornstarch, divided
2 T. sugar
2 T. unsweetened cocoa
dash of salt
1 1/3 C. milk, divided
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or use chocolate chips)
1/2 C. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 T. butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 C. (2 ounces) block-style cream cheese, softened
2 C. sliced perfectly ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
1 1/2 C. Cool Whip
Chocolate curls (optional)

Prepare and bake pastry crust.

Combine 1 T. cornstarch, 2 T. sugar, cocoa and dash of salt in a small, heavy saucepan; gradually add 1/3 c. milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in chocolate; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spread chocolate mixture into bottom of prepared crust.

Combine 2 T. cornstarch, 1 c. milk, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/4 t. salt, eggs and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook 30 seconds or until thick. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat cream cheese until light (about 30 seconds). Add 1/4 c. hot custard to cream cheese; beat just until blended. Stir in remaining custard.

Arrange banana slices on top of chocolate layer; spoon in custard over bananas. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard; chill 2-4 hours. Remove plastic wrap. Spread whipped topping evenly over custard. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Chill until ready to serve.

Apple Pie

Crust:

1 3/4 C Flour

1/4 C Sugar

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1/2 c + 2 tb butter

1/4 c water

Filling:

8 apples

1 2/3 c sour cream

1 c sugar

1/3 c flour

1 egg

2 t vanilla

1/2 t salt

Topping:

1 c pecans - you should be able to leave nuts out

1/2 c flour

1/3 c firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 c sugar

1 tb cinnamon

1/2 c butter, softened

pinch of salt

Make crust by mixing butter into dry imgredients. Add liquid and mix just until it sticks together. Roll into a crust for a 10 inch deep dish pie plate or two 8 inch regular pie plates* Precook apples slices in microwave then add all filling ingredients and pour into crust. Combine all ingredients for the topping and sprinkle over filling. I usually top this with a lattice top from leftover pie crust dough. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned.

*If you are using 2-8 inch pie plates you may want to increase the crust by 1 1/2 or 2 times if you are planning to top the pies with a lattice top.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Courtesy of: Martha Stewart Everyday Foods, November 2004

for the crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (from 10 whole crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the filling:
4 packages (8 ounces each) bar cream cheese, very soft
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature

To prevent the top from cracking, be careful not to overmix the batter, and do not open the oven door while the cake is baking or cooling inside the oven.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.

2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next.

4. Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).

5. Remove from oven; cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Unmold before serving.

from Martha Stewart Everyday Foods, November 2004

Key Lime Pie

1 Ready made graham cracker crust
2 yoplait key lime yogurts
1 small package lime Jell-O
8 oz. cool whip

Boil 1/2 c. water. Add Jell-O, yogurts, and cool whip. Mix well. Pour over pie crust and let sut up in fridge for 20 min.

Chocolate Dream Pie

2 envelopes dream whip
2 3/4 cups milk
2 pkg. (4 - serving size) Jell-O Chocolate instant pudding
1 9 - inch graham cracker crust

Prepare whipped topping mis as directed on package (using 1 cup milk) in large mixing bowl. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups milk and pudding mix. Whip, then beat at high for 2 minutes. Spoon into pie shell. Chill at least 4 hours