3.1415926 or
The Ultimate Pi(e)
GF Chocolate Crust*:
1 c. butter
1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese
¼ c. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 c. gluten-free, all-purpose flour
2-4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
Cheesecake Layer:
2 (8 oz.) pkgs cream cheese
¼ c. sugar
½ tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 eggs
(Optional) Salted Caramel Mousse Layer:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 ½ tsp. finely-ground sea salt
¼ c. caramel sauce (recipe here, or store-bought)
Caramel Sauce:
1 lb. brown sugar
¾ c. corn syrup
¼ c. honey
1 stick butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Chocolate Mousse Layer:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
2-4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract
Whipped Cream Layer:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
¼ c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
First, make
the crust*: In a
large mixing bowl, mix together butter, cream cheese, and heavy cream on low
speed until smooth. Add sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly. Stir in flour and cocoa
powder, just until the dough is combined well enough to hold together in a soft
ball. Divide the dough into four evenly sized pieces. Shape each piece into a
disk that is approximately 1-inch thick, smoothing the edges. Wrap each
disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the dough.
Meanwhile, make the cheesecake batter: In a large mixing bowl, whip cream
cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add almond extract and lemon juice,
then beat in eggs, one at a time.
Assemble the cheesecake layer: Place 1 disc of crust dough between
2 large sheets of waxed paper. (Save the other crusts for future desserts!) Roll
into a thin circle, approximately 1 ¼” larger all around than your pie tin.
Transfer dough to your pie tin and crimp the edges all around.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour cheesecake batter into the chocolate crust and bake in a preheated oven for one hour, until cheesecake is golden-brown and a knife
inserted in the center comes out clean.
Chill 6-8 hours in the fridge. (Cheesecake may puff up while
baking & look like it's going to spill over the edges of the pie plate.
Don’t worry! As it chills, cheesecake will settle and deflate, leaving the
perfect indentation for the next layers of filling.)
Make the caramel sauce: In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt together sugar
and corn syrup, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in butter, then milk. Return to medium heat and bring
back to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat immediately, and allow to
cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Spread chilled cheesecake with a generous layer of caramel
sauce. (You will have quite a bit of the caramel left over. Pour into a glass
jar & refrigerate. Makes a great topping for ice cream!)
(Optional) Caramel Mousse Layer: Whip the cream and sea salt together
in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Carefully drizzle ¼ c. caramel
sauce over the whipped cream. Fold in gently, just to incorporate the caramel.
Spread onto pie, on top of caramel layer.
Chocolate Mousse Layer: In large mixing bowl (you can use the same one you
used for the salted caramel mousse, if desired), stir together all chocolate
mousse ingredients. Whip with wire whisk attachment on your mixer, until stiff
peaks form. Gently spoon mousse over salted caramel mousse (or just caramel if
you skipped the mousse layer) and spread evenly.
Whipped Cream Topping: In a large, clean mixing bowl, whip together heavy cream,
vanilla and sugar until soft peaks form. Gently spread over chocolate mousse
layer.
Chill 2-3 hours or overnight, until ready to serve.
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.
*This Gluten Free Chocolate Pie Crust recipe
(adapted from Chef Alina’s
Gluten-Free Foolproof Cream Cheese Pie Crust) makes 4 crusts,
but you’ll only use 1 for this pie. The extra crusts can be refrigerated for up
to four days. Or wrap well and freeze for up to three months. When ready to use
your dough, remove from the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge.
Then, remove from the fridge and let it rest for 15 minutes or so at room
temperature before you roll it out, so it’s not too stiff.
***Note: Pie can be frozen (whole or by the
slice) in an airtight container for future deliciousness. Simply remove from
the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.
This recipe pairs well with
MY PERFECT FAMILY by Khadijah
VanBrakle.
