January 23, 2017

Life By Chocolate Pie (Brownie Chocolate Mousse Pie)

Recently, after an exhaustive research session (key components: me, Google, and my morning cup of coffee-flavored creamer), I learned that "Death By Chocolate" is a term applied to various desserts featuring chocolate as their main ingredient. 

It is true that if God calls me home while I'm eating chocolate (a very likely scenario, by the way, since I am often eating chocolate), I'll die happy. Still, I felt burdened to defend my favorite food group against affiliation with possible demise.

Hence, this "Life By Chocolate Pie."

This easy pie is really nothing more than a bunch of melted chocolate into which you fold some egg whites beaten with sugar and then bake off. You can drizzle it with caramel or serve it in a pool of raspberry sauce. You can make it minty by adding a little peppermint extract to the beaten egg whites and serving it with chocolate syrup melted together with peppermint patties. However you take it, I think you'll be glad you're alive to enjoy the pleasure.




Life By Chocolate Pie {print}


1 9" pie crust...whatever kind you like. I make a press-in tart crust and put it in an 11" quiche pan that I think my husband and I got as a wedding gift a zillion years ago. But this recipe works just fine in a 9" pie pan. If you're using a refrigerated crust, make sure it's been baked for about 10 minutes but no more. If it's a crumb crust (Oreo, graham, whatever) that you're making yourself, bake it for about 5 minutes. The crust does not need to be cooled before you fill it. If you're buying a prebaked crumb crust, you'll all set. 

Filling:
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semisweet, bittersweet, dark) OR 9 ounces chocolate (not more than 60% cacao, though), finely chopped
3 egg whites without so much as a trace of yolk in them, in a very clean bowl
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar (yes, this matters)
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons sugar 
1/8 teaspoon salt (yes, this matters too)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in a medium bowl or saucepan until smooth and, well, melted. (The microwave is the best place to melt chocolate, BTW.) Make sure there is NO water in the bowl or you will have a mess. Set aside. 

In a very clean large bowl with very clean beaters (wipe down with a little vinegar if you're not sure...are you sure?), beat the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar until they form soft, droopy peaks. Add the sugar and salt and beat until they form stiff peaks but are NOT dry. Pour melted chocolate over the beaten egg whites and GENTLY fold together until you don't have big streaks of chocolate. Pour/spoon into your prepared pie shell and smooth the top. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until the surface looks dry and starts to crack a little...it will also be somewhat "risen." Don't overbake! Remove from oven and cool at least a little or all the way. Can be served warm, at room temp, or chilled. Serve with adornments and decorations.

Adornments and decorations:
whipped cream (any "version")
shaved chocolate or chocolate syrup or caramel sauce or mini chocolate chips or raspberry sauce or strawberry sauce or fresh berries or whatever

Makes 1 9" pie.



This post may have been shared at some of these blog bashes.

12 comments:

  1. Another delicious-looking chocolate dessert from you - I know I should not be surprised, my friend!! ;) Since pie is my dessert love language (and my husband's, too) this will be right up our alley. Love all the options - think I'll go the refrigerated crust route, and DEFINITELY whipped cream!!

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    1. "Pie is my dessert love language"...that is possibly the best thing I have read in a long time. Brilliant, Tracey. I hope you get a chance to make this because I can definitively say it has made our home a happier place. :) Thanks for brightening my day with your words!

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  2. You made my day. I licked my screen clean.

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    1. LOL, for real, Amanda!!!! YOU made my day with this comment! :)

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  3. Hi! I'm one of the co-hosts with the Welcome Home Wednesday link up. When I saw your post I knew it would easily be one of my favorites. I think this one is a winner and i'll be making it soon. It sounds heavenly.

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    1. Aw, bless your heart, Leslie...you've made my day with your kind words! I've been snooping around your blog and Facebook page and see that we share a love of chocolate. Given that common bond, I think this dessert might make you very happy! :) Thank you for working so hard to host Welcome Home Wednesdays...it's one of my favorite parties of the whole week!

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  4. Omg! I need this in my life. I'm a crazy chocoholic and this looks so perfect! Thanks so much for linking up! #fridayfrivolity

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    1. Hi, Amethyst! It's always fabulous to meet a fellow "crazy chocoholic"! And welcome to the Friday Frivolity team! It's my favorite party of the week. Here's hoping you're able to get some of this pie in your life soon! :)

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  5. Oh my stars- I can not unsee this

    #fridayfrivolity

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    1. Hehe, Kristin...I guess there are worse images you could have stuck in your mind's eye? ;) Thanks for taking time to drop by. :)

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  6. I love how you turned it into "life by chocolate" and I also never thought of wiping things down with vinegar to help with the egg-beating thing!

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    1. You are JUST the best. I know I've said it before, but you'd better believe I'll be saying it again. You always "get" my little nuances. Thank you...for so many things. Someday, let's get together and eat this in person.

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I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to tell me what you really think. Years ago, I explained to my then-two-year-old that my appointment with a counselor was "sort of like going to a doctor who will help me be a better mommy." Without blinking, she replied, "You'd better go every day." All of which is just to say I've spent some time in the school of brutal honesty!