It’s been a long, slow start to spring here at 48 Sugar Street. 

There was a chilly April Fools Easter. A rather melancholy parade of rainy days and cloudy skies followed. The feeling that spring might never arrive persisted. We spent a month visiting or hosting dear family and friends every weekend; these visits were a most welcome respite as we awaited spring. 

But here we are in May. The magenta azalea bush in the driveway is beginning to burst into bloom. Carpenter bees are buzzing happily around the eves of our old home. Sunshine and bright blue skies abound. The month of travel is over, and we have a full docket of softball games and book fairs and start-of-summer activities on the family calendar. 

I believe it is the perfect time to make Chocolate Mousse Pie. We all deserve a celebration, yes? 

This is another treasured family recipe from my mother, June. She cut it out from a magazine advertisement for Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate sometime in the 1980s. She swapped out the graham cracker crust for a chocolate cookie crust (chocolate is always the answer), her preference being a store-bought prepared crust. But she’s stayed true to the ‘80s spirit of the recipe and still uses the primary ingredient: Cool-Whip. 

My version of the recipe is a nod to 2018 sensibilities. I replace the Cool-Whip with whipped cream and make my crust from scratch. (Sort of. Store bought cookies are required.)

Is there really that much of a difference between our two versions? Probably not. If you’ve got the time and energy to make a crust, whip cream, and do some fancy-ish decorations, make the Holley version. If sunny skies are calling you and you want to get this pie in the freezer ASAP, make the June version. Either way, you’ll have a creamy, rich, chocolate-y treat waiting for you at the end of your lovely, springy day.

This pie is best served quite cold but not frozen. To that end, I store it in the freezer, but let it sit uncovered at room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing. You can also refrigerate it for a few hours prior to serving it instead. I’ve tried several chocolate cookie crust recipes and have definitively settled on this one from Bon Appetit as my favorite. I use Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers. If you can’t find them, you can use Oreos with the cream filling scraped out; I’ve included the weight equivalent to help you gauge how many Oreos to use. When making your own crust, you have a few pan options. I like using a springform pan for a more dramatic presentation; your favorite pie pan will work too.

June’s (Simpler) Chocolate Mousse Pie

Adapted from Frozen German Sweet Chocolate Pie

Ingredients:
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup milk
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
1 prepared 8-inch Oreo cookie crust

Directions:
Place chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir until chocolate is completely melted. If needed, continue to microwave in 15 second increments until chocolate melts when stirred. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer. Add sugar and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining milk and the cooled chocolate mixture. Beat on low until combined, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the bowl once. Increase speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds longer. 

Place thawed Cool Whip in a large bowl. Pour the chocolate mixture into the Cool Whip and gently fold to combine, taking care not to deflate the Cool Whip. Once the mousse is a uniform color with no streaks, spoon it into the crust. Swirl or smooth the top as desired. If you’d like, you can also add chocolate sprinkles (June’s favorite). Freeze pie until firm, about 4 hours. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before serving. Yield: 8 - 10 servings.

Holley’s (Slightly More Fussy) Chocolate Mousse Pie

Adapted from Chocolate Crumb Crust & Frozen German Sweet Chocolate Pie

Ingredients:
Crust
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 heaping tablespoons semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (or 1 ounce chopped chocolate)
30 chocolate wafer cookies (about 6 - 3/4 ounces)

Mousse Filling
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup milk
1 - 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions:
Make the crust: Spray an 8- or 9-inch springform pan, or a 9-inch pie pan, with nonstick cooking spray. Place chocolate chips and butter in a microwave safe dish. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir until chocolate is completely melted. If needed, continue to microwave in 15 second increments until chocolate melts when stirred. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place cookies in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to chop the cookies, then process until fine crumbs are formed, about 30 seconds. Add cooled chocolate mixture to crumbs and process until crumbs are uniformly moist, about 15 seconds. Alternatively, place the cookies in a sealed heavy-duty ziptop bag and roll over it with a rolling pin until cookies have become fine crumbs. Pour crumbs in a medium bowl, add melted chocolate, and stir until crumbs are uniformly moist.

Spread prepared crumbs evenly across bottom of sprayed pan. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, firmly press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. In a 9-inch spring form pan, you’ll have about an inch of crust up the sides of the pan, a bit more than an inch for a 8-inch pan. Place the pan in the freezer and let chill at least 15 minutes before using. 

Make the mousse: While crust chills, place the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, start beating at medium speed, then increase speed to high (I cover my mixer with a towel here to avoid splattering). Beat until cream forms medium peaks, about 5 minutes (medium peaks = when beaters are lifted, a peak remains standing with just the tip curling over). Scoop cream into a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Place chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir until chocolate is completely melted. If needed, continue to microwave in 15 second increments until chocolate melts when stirred. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place cream cheese in the mixer bowl used for the cream (no need to clean it). Add sugar and beat on medium using the paddle attachment until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining milk and the cooled chocolate mixture. Beat on low until combined, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the bowl once. Increase speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds longer. 

Remove whipped cream from the fridge and crust from the freezer. Pour the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream and gently fold to combine, taking care not to deflate the cream. Once the mousse is a uniform color with no streaks, spoon it into the prepared crust. Swirl or smooth the top as desired. If you’d like, you can also add chocolate sprinkles or shavings. You can also break any remaining chocolate wafer cookies into shards and crumbs, and distribute them over the top of the pie. Freeze pie until firm, about 4 hours. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before serving. Yield: 8 - 10 servings.