CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN MOUSSE PIElayers of pumpkin, cheesecake and chocolate on a Biscoff cookie crust
Ingredients
• 1 (8.8-ounce) pkg. Biscoff cookies, crushed (found at Walgreens, WalMart)• DIRECTIONS:
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• ½ cup chopped pecans (optional) • 4 egg yolks (well beaten)
• 2 heaping tablespoons flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 cups milk, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1½ cups canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1½ cups cold whipping cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1¼ cups powdered sugar
• sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings for garnish• To Make Crust: Preheat oven to 325˚F. Butter a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch sides. Mix cookie crumbs, melted butter and nuts in a medium bowl until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and up 1 inch of the sides of the pan. Bake at 325˚F for 15 minutes. Cool completely.• To Make Filling: Make a paste of the egg yolks, flour, sugars and small amount of the milk in a heavy medium saucepan. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat remaining milk 1 minute. Slowly add milk to the egg mixture and, stirring constantly, cook over medium low heat 7-10 minutes or until thickened (mixture will thicken more as it cools). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
• Measure out 1 cup of the filling and put into a separate bowl. Add chocolate to the remaining filling and stir to melt. In reserved bowl, add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Pour chocolate filling into a medium bowl, then press plastic wrap onto the surface of both of the fillings, to eliminate a skin. Refrigerate about 30 minutes. Soften the gelatin in the water for about 5 minutes in a microwave-safe dish.
• In a medium chilled bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Microwave gelatin until it dissolves and starts to bubble around the edges, around 30 seconds. In a small bowl, cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir in ⅓ of the dissolved gelatin into each of the 3 filling bowls (about 2½ tablespoons each) and combine well. Fold in ⅓ of the whipped cream into each of the 3 fillings.
• Spread chocolate pudding onto cooled crust. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to become firmer. Layer with the cream cheese filling, then place into the freezer for another 10 minutes. Top with the pumpkin layer.
• Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.