January 3, 2012

Chocolate Mousse Topped Cheesecake

cheesecake, chocolate, desserts, Recipes 0

Happy New Year!

I hope you’ve had a wonderful holiday, but truth be told, I’m ready to tackle 2012 and I am GLAD to have you BACK, reading, baking, and just being here for me, giving me reasons to keep posting!

Over the holidays, I made this: a chocolate mousse topped cheesecake. I’ve made a similar cheesecake before, but this one literally takes the cake. A thick layer of sturdy, deeply rich chocolate mousse is piled as tall and thick as the insane cheesecake it sits upon, it’s intensity playing ever so sweetly with the tanginess of the cream cheese.

A match made in heaven.

As you may know, I do not like graham cracker crusts, so I opted to use cookie dough for this cheesecake. No kids, the cookie doesn’t burn. In fact, it doesn’t get too done at all. hard to believe, considering it is baked for an hour and a half, but, it gets just the right amount of baked.

Nice.

I used chocolate chip cookie dough, straight out of the Nestle refrigerated section, and it was the perfect amount to substantially fill the 9 inch pan. Don’t you love when things work out like that? Oh, I do. It’s kismet. Serendipity.

I hope you’ll give this recipe a shot, and let me know what you think. It’s easier than it looks, but I’ll warn you…the mousse requires a ridiculous amount of dishes. I have no idea why, but it does. Pots. Bowls. Whisks and spoons and more bowls. Is it worth it?

Oh, you betcha.

You’ll see.

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Ingredients

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup milk
6 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, divided
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 – 9 inch cheesecake, prepared

Instructions

Prepare cheesecake according to instructions. Allow to cool. (Do not decorate with chocolate or chocolate chips.)

In a medium saucepan, melt chocolate over low heat. While it melts, whisk sugar, milk and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Once chocolate is melted, add the sugar/egg mixture. Stir constantly until smooth and thickened, about 7-9 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool completely.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until fluffy, then add 3/4 cup of the confectioners sugar and beat for 2 more minutes.

Add cooled chocolate mixture to the butter and beat well. Leave in mixing bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, whip egg whites and salt to stiff peaks. Gradually add in 3/4 cups confectioners sugar.

Fold egg white meringue into chocolate mixture, then add vanilla. Place mixture in refrigerator to cool for one hour or more.

Remove cheesecake and mousse from refrigerator. Ice the sides of the cheesecake with the mousse, then pipe or spread remaining mousse on top of cake. Allow to cool completely before serving. Mine is decorated with white chocolate snowflakes, which are simple to make with a piping bag and melted white chocolate.

If you have a minute, I’d love for you to share this post with your friends. There are buttons below for sharing on Facebook and Twitter, but if you like it, I’d appreciate a Pin or Stumble, too. The more folks come to check it out, the more inspired I get!