Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Pie
This delectable pie is a riff on a dessert that has a special place in the hearts of all of the women in my family! "Peppermint Fluff" was always on the dessert buffet during the holidays, layers of fluffy peppermint flavored mousse and chocolate cookie crumbs. I decided to use my "Whipped Cream that won't Fall Flat" to create both a peppermint and chocolate mousse and layer it into a chocolate pie shell. It's deceptively light and creamy, the perfect addition to your Holiday dessert table, or ending to any holiday meal!
Equipment needed: Kitchen Scale 9-inch pie plate Mixer Offset Spatulas
Place the bowl and whip attachment of the stand mixer in the freezer to chill until ready to prepare filling.
Spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick spray.
For the crust:
(In a pinch, you can use a purchased chocolate cookie crust)
8 ounces finely-ground chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
2 ounces (4 T.) melted butter
Combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter until very well mixed. Press evenly into the pie pan, firming the bottom with a metal measuring cup and creating a rim with your fingers. Freeze for about one hour.
For the filling:
1/4 cup cool water
1 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 ounces good quality dark chocolate
2 Tablespoons + 6 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops red food coloring
Place the water in a small bow and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let mixture sit for about 2 minutes, then stir to combine. Microwave in 15 second increments, until heated through and the gelatin is dissolved completely, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Place the chocolate in a medium glass bowl and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring as needed, until the chocolate is melted. Side aside.
Place 1 cup of heavy cream in the chilled mixer bowl along with 2 Tablespoons of the powdered sugar. Mix on medium speed until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes frothy. Increase the speed to high, and slowly stream in 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of the gelatin mixture (if the gelatin has begun to thicken, heat briefly in the microwave just until it is fluid again, but not hot). Whip until the cream is very stiff. Add 1/4 of the mixture to the melted chocolate (re-warm slightly if any of the chocolate has hardened, do not let it get hot) and whisk until evenly combined. Add the remaining whipped cream and combine until uniformly mixed. Set aside (don't refrigerate).
Place the remaining heavy cream, 6 Tablespoons powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and 2 drops of red food coloring into the same mixer bowl. Beat together on medium speed until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is becoming frothy. Increase speed to high and slowly drizzle in 2 Tablespoons of the liquid gelatin mixture. Whip until very stiff. Set aside.
Assemble the pie:
Remove the pie shell from the freezer. Pile half of the peppermint filling in the shell. Using an offset spatula, spread evenly into the shell.
Scoop all of the chocolate filling onto the top of the peppermint filling and carefully smooth over the peppermint filling to the edges of the crust.
Scoop the remaining peppermint filling onto the chocolate filling. Smooth evenly over the top of the chocolate.
Sprinkle with additional cookie crumbs, or wait to garnish and serve drizzled with Chocolate Sauce. Freeze for 2 hours, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serving Tip: For perfectly neat slicing, freeze the pie completely, then cut with a wet knife, wiping after each cut. Refrigerate for several hours before serving, until defrosted. This is good served slightly frozen, too.