Gluten-Free Chocolate Mousse Pie

Hi Bakers,

This is one of the most decadent desserts to eat. A classic Chocolate Mousse is rich and satisfying but also light and airy. It’s more elegant than a pudding but not much harder to make. I cooked the egg yolks and whites in this version to avoid eating raw eggs and that takes a bit longer to prepare with a few more steps. The heated egg whites look funky, like a curdled mess that smell scrambled…but they beat into lovely whites that don’t taste like scrambled eggs at all. If you are not worried about uncooked eggs, you can whip the whites raw instead.  This recipe can be made as a mousse pie or as mousse with no crust. Both ways to eat it are fabulous and no one will miss the crust if you decide to skip it. Enjoy this special treat ~Carolyn

Chocolate Mousse Pie/Chocolate Mousse

Makes one 9” pie or 5” ramekins

Crust

one 12 ounce package of gluten-free Oreos

1/4 cup melted butter

Filling

1 1/2 cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg whites

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Crust

Remove the center of the Oreos and break apart into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until cookies are broken into small crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix until combined. This should resemble damp sand and stick together slightly. If you need to add another teaspoon of butter achieve this consistency. Press the crumbs lightly into place into the bottom of a pie pan using plastic wrap over your fingertips. Tamp down harder with a spoon or small measuring cup. Chill in the freezer until ready to use.

Mousse

Measure the chocolate into a large bowl. Set aside. Separate the egg whites and yolks using metal or ceramic bowls.

In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together the egg, yolks, 1/2 cup cream, sugar, espresso and vanilla. Heat while stirring continuously until the liquid becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Cover and let sit for a few minutes until the chocolate is melted.  Whisk until smooth. Set aside and cool to ~113F.

Combine the egg whites* and sugar over a double boiler or a small metal pan set atop a pan partially filled with boiling water. Whisk and heat until the temperature reaches 170F. Remove from the heat and beat until stiff but not dry peaks form. Set the bowl aside.

Whip the remaining 1/2 cup whipped cream.

Gently stir in a 1/4 of beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites. Next, fold in the whipped cream. Portion into a pie pan or ramekins. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream and fresh fruit or chocolate shavings. A sprig of mint is also a pretty addition.

*Uncooked eggs can be a health hazard. If you decide not to cook the egg whites(which is how many traditional recipes are written for chocolate mousse), whip them with sugar and vanilla in a metal or glass n a bowl without heating them. Add to the mousse then you achieve stiff but not dry peaks. Follow the instructions and add to the chocolate as directed.

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