Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake Pie

Brayden turned seven. September 18. Chocolate cake, fifth year (the boy is nothing if not consistent). The party was the biggest yet — fifteen school friends, plus Tyler (always Tyler), in the backyard. Hot dogs, burgers, chips, cake. Biscuit patrolled the perimeter for dropped food with the efficiency of a vacuum cleaner with fur.

Seven. My first baby is seven. The baby who was born screaming in a Tulsa hospital, who said "Mama" in a high chair, who ate smash cake with both hands, who ran before he walked, who made friends before he could talk — that baby is seven. He rides a bike now (the yard sale bike, still going strong). He has a best friend. He plays football at recess (not well, but enthusiastically). He eats my chicken and rice bake and says it's the best thing in the world, and at seven, he means it with the absolute conviction of a person who has not yet tasted enough of the world to know he's wrong. Or maybe he's right. Maybe the chicken and rice bake is the best thing. Maybe the best things are simple and cheap and made by someone who loves you, and the world will show him fancier food and he'll eat it and enjoy it and then come home and ask for the chicken and rice bake because home is always better than fancy. I hope he always comes home for the chicken and rice bake.

I made it for his birthday dinner. Just us — after the party, after the friends left, after the yard was clean. Five Turners at the table (six if you count Biscuit under it). Chicken and rice bake, cream of mushroom, chicken thighs, rice, garlic. $3.47. The recipe that started the blog. The recipe that started the book. The recipe my son calls the best thing in the world. $3.47 of the best thing in the world. Every night.

Brayden asked for chocolate cake — like he always does, like he probably always will — and this year I wanted to give him something that felt a little more special than the box mix we’ve done four times before. This Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake Pie has everything he loves: rich chocolate, a creamy filling, and enough of a wow factor to make a seven-year-old’s eyes go wide. It’s the kind of dessert that looks like you worked all day but comes together faster than the party cleanup, which, after fifteen school friends and one very motivated dog, I desperately needed.

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 4 hrs 25 min (includes chilling) | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 pre-made chocolate cookie crumb crust (9-inch)
8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons whole milk
Chocolate shavings or sprinkles, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Melt the chocolate. Combine chocolate chips and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Beat the cream cheese layer. In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; beat until fluffy and well combined.
Whip the cream. In a separate chilled bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream with the cocoa powder on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 3—4 minutes. Set the remaining 1/2 cup cream aside for topping.
Combine the filling. Fold the cooled melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture until no streaks remain. Gently fold in the cocoa whipped cream in two additions, keeping as much volume as possible.
Fill the crust. Spoon the chocolate mousse cheesecake filling into the cookie crust and spread evenly with a spatula.
Chill. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until fully set.
Top and serve. Before serving, whip the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream to soft peaks and dollop or pipe over the top. Garnish with chocolate shavings or sprinkles if desired. Slice and serve cold.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake Pie — The Birthday Tradition That Never Gets Old