Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients
Crust:
- 24 (310 g) Oreos or other chocolate-sandwich cookie, crushed to fine crumbs
- 5 tablespoons (71 g) butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 ounces (227 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup (227 g) sour cream
Mousse:
- 1 cup heavy cream, divided
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (29 g) powdered sugar (optional - see note)
Ganache:
- ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter (see note!)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- For the crust, in a medium bowl, stir together the crushed Oreo cookies and melted butter until evenly combined.
- Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a deep dish 9-inch pie plate or 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
- For the filling, with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and mix until combined.
- Add the sour cream and mix until combined.
- Spread the cheesecake filling over the crust and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is mostly set (it's ok if the very center of the pie jiggles a bit, but most of the filling should be set).
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- For the mousse, place the egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk until lightly combined.
- Heat 1/2 cup cream in a small saucepan until just simmering.
- While whisking vigorously, slowly pour a 3 to 4 of the hot cream into the egg yolks. Whisk until well-combined.
- Pour the tempered egg yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining hot cream, whisking the whole time.
- Return the saucepan to medium-low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is completely melted. If you used bittersweet chocolate and/or would like a bit more sweetness, whisk in up to 1/4 cup powdered sugar, to taste.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally to avoid a skin forming across the top.
- Beat the remaining 1/2 cup cream to stiff peaks and fold the whipped cream into the completely cooled chocolate mixture. Spread the mousse over the top of the cooled cheesecake pie and refrigerate.
- For the ganache, place the 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a small bowl.
- Combine the butter and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until the butter is melted and the mixture is at a simmer.
- Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until glossy and smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla and powdered sugar, if using (add if you want the ganache a bit sweeter).
- Spread the ganache over the mousse layer and refrigerate the pie for at least an hour or up to 24 hours before serving. Serve chilled.
Notes
Optional Powdered Sugar: You may not need or want the optional powdered sugar. It's added only if you would like the mousse and ganache layers a bit sweeter (which might be needed if you are using bittersweet chocolate rather than semisweet chocolate). I usually don't add the powdered sugar.
Butter: Over the years, I've reduced the butter in the ganache layer to 2 tablespoons.