'FOLLOW ME IN MERRY MEASURE' ~ CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE

Follow me in merry measure,

Fa la la. la la la. la la la.

~ Chocolate Moose

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CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE

~ Fairly easy dessert for the Chocolate-lover in your life. Make ahead, freeze and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Crust:

3 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

Filling:

1 lb. semisweet chocolate

2 eggs

4 egg yolks

2 cups whipping cream

6 Tbsp. powdered sugar

4 room temperature egg whites

Chocolate Leaves:

8 oz. semisweet chocolate

1 scant Tbsp. vegetable shortening

holly leaves (or other decorative leaves like lemon or camellia)

round red cinnamon candy

2 cups whipping cream

sugar

• Crust: Combine crumbs and butter and press on bottom and completely ups sides of 10-inch springform pan. Refrigerate 30 minutes (or chill in freezer).
• Filling: Soften chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water. Let cool to lukewarm (95-degrees). Add whole eggs and mix well. Add yolk and mix until thoroughly blended. Whip cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks from. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir a little of cream and whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining cream and whites until completely Incorporated Turn into crust and chill at least 6 hours or, preferably, overnight.
• Leaves: Melt chocolate and shortening in top of double boiler. Using spoon, generously coat underside of leaves. Chill or freeze until firm.
• Whip remaining 2 cups cream with sugar to taste until quite stiff.'Loosen crust on all sides suing sharp knife; remove springform. Spread all but 1/2 cup cream over top of mousse. Pipe remaining cream in center of pie.
• Separate chocolate from leaves, starting at stem end of leaf. Arrange holly leaves artistically on top of pie using cinnamon candy for holly berries. (10-12 servings)

Note: If time is an issue, simple dress top of pie with shaved chocolate.