Easy, Cool & Dark Decadence
I fell into a time-space wormhole after that last entry, and have just fought my way back. After my harrowing ordeal, the only thing I want to eat is something that will make me feel good.
On this note, a valued vampy friend recently gave me a box of one of my favorite cookies - Girl Scout Thin Mints. I don't go big for sweets, but these cool, minty-chocolatey wafers enrobed in more dark chocolate, are one sugary delight I adore.
As much as I like to spend time alone with them, I decided to play around - to work my kitchen magick on them and see what emerges - and I think I concocted chocolate-mint heaven.
This spell was borne of my love not only for these cookies but the only other dessert I have a hard time saying 'no' to - chocolate mousse.
With Valentine's Day not far off, I urge you to try this recipe on your beloved - I think it's a fool-proof love potion. Who knows, it may fire you and your beloved up and make for a steamy post-dessert evening!
Gorey's Cool & Dark Mint Mousse Pie
filling:
12 oz. semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, chopped fine {or bought as chips or buttons}
2-3/4 c. chilled whipping cream
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
scant pinch of salt
crust:
10 Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies
10 chocolate wafer cookies {like Oreos}
1/4 c. {4 tbsp.} melted butter
topping:
4 additional Thin Mints, crushed fine
1 tsp. granuated sugar
chcolate shavings {optional}
Directions:
To make the crust - preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
Place the 20 cookies in a food processor and pulse until crushed fine. Add the melted butter and pulse a few more times, until all the cookie crumbs are well coated.
Pour this mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Using your fingertips, press the mix to form a thin crust on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Bake about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
In the cleaned and dried processor, combine the chocolate, vanilla and salt.
In a saucepot, heat the cream until it is simmering {but do not boil!}. With the food processor running on low, slowly pour the heated cream into the feed tube of the machine. Allow it to run until the chocolate is melted and everything is well mixed.
Pour this into a large bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
When the crust and chocolate are cooled and ready to proceed, pour 2 cups of the cream and the 1/4 cup of sugar into another large, deep bowl. Beat until it is whipped into stiff peaks.
Using a wide spatula or large spoon, fold the cream into the bowl of melted chocolate, making sure not to crush the air out of the whipped cream.
Pour the mousse into the choco-mint crust, cover, and refirgerate the pie for at least 5 hours, overnight is good too.
When ready to serve: whip the remaining 3/4 cup of cream with the teaspoon of sugar, until it makes whipped cream once more.
Sprinkle the 4 additional finely crushed Thin Mints into this whipped cream and, using a spoon, fold them into the fluff until they are well distributed.
Carefully remove the pie from it's springy pan and place on a serving plate.
Top it with this mint-flecked cream. You can also add chocolate shavings on top of this, if you wish.
Cut, distribute, devour!
On this note, a valued vampy friend recently gave me a box of one of my favorite cookies - Girl Scout Thin Mints. I don't go big for sweets, but these cool, minty-chocolatey wafers enrobed in more dark chocolate, are one sugary delight I adore.
As much as I like to spend time alone with them, I decided to play around - to work my kitchen magick on them and see what emerges - and I think I concocted chocolate-mint heaven.
This spell was borne of my love not only for these cookies but the only other dessert I have a hard time saying 'no' to - chocolate mousse.
With Valentine's Day not far off, I urge you to try this recipe on your beloved - I think it's a fool-proof love potion. Who knows, it may fire you and your beloved up and make for a steamy post-dessert evening!
Gorey's Cool & Dark Mint Mousse Pie
filling:
12 oz. semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, chopped fine {or bought as chips or buttons}
2-3/4 c. chilled whipping cream
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
scant pinch of salt
crust:
10 Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies
10 chocolate wafer cookies {like Oreos}
1/4 c. {4 tbsp.} melted butter
topping:
4 additional Thin Mints, crushed fine
1 tsp. granuated sugar
chcolate shavings {optional}
Directions:
To make the crust - preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
Place the 20 cookies in a food processor and pulse until crushed fine. Add the melted butter and pulse a few more times, until all the cookie crumbs are well coated.
Pour this mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Using your fingertips, press the mix to form a thin crust on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Bake about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
In the cleaned and dried processor, combine the chocolate, vanilla and salt.
In a saucepot, heat the cream until it is simmering {but do not boil!}. With the food processor running on low, slowly pour the heated cream into the feed tube of the machine. Allow it to run until the chocolate is melted and everything is well mixed.
Pour this into a large bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
When the crust and chocolate are cooled and ready to proceed, pour 2 cups of the cream and the 1/4 cup of sugar into another large, deep bowl. Beat until it is whipped into stiff peaks.
Using a wide spatula or large spoon, fold the cream into the bowl of melted chocolate, making sure not to crush the air out of the whipped cream.
Pour the mousse into the choco-mint crust, cover, and refirgerate the pie for at least 5 hours, overnight is good too.
When ready to serve: whip the remaining 3/4 cup of cream with the teaspoon of sugar, until it makes whipped cream once more.
Sprinkle the 4 additional finely crushed Thin Mints into this whipped cream and, using a spoon, fold them into the fluff until they are well distributed.
Carefully remove the pie from it's springy pan and place on a serving plate.
Top it with this mint-flecked cream. You can also add chocolate shavings on top of this, if you wish.
Cut, distribute, devour!