To make the mousse, place the dark chocolate in double boiler to melt. Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar together until thick. Separate egg whites from the yolks. Fluff egg whites until thick. Blend chocolate and the egg yolks. Fold chocolate mixture into egg whites. Fold all into the heavy cream. Add to pie shell. Refrigerate.
Courtesy of the Prime Rib
The Rusty Scupper's sweet potato cheesecake pie
Makes: 1 pie
1 9-inch graham cracker pie shell
1 12-ounce can sweet potatoes
1 pint heavy cream
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Drain sweet potatoes. Place heavy cream in mixer with all of the ingredients except the sweet potatoes. Beat until soft peaks form; add sweet potatoes. Mix until incorporated. Pour mixture into pie shell and place in refrigerator. Let set for up to two hours and serve with fresh whipped cream.
Courtesy of the Rusty Scupper
David Guas' no-bake cheesecake
Makes: 1 pie
1 1/2 sheets bronze gelatin
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
5 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
Submerge gelatin sheets in a bowl of ice water and allow the sheets to soften or "bloom" (approximately 5 minutes).
Place cream cheese in a metal bowl above boiling water and allow cream cheese to melt, stirring occasionally.
In a large mixing bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream and salt. Whip using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
Remove the cream cheese from heat. Squeeze excess water from softened gelatin sheets and whisk gelatin into cream cheese. Add approximately 1/2 cup of the whipped sour-cream mixture into the cream-cheese mixture and whisk until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining sour cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
Using a 4-ounce scoop, portion 4 ounces of the combined mixture into rocks glasses or glass coffee cups; glasses should be approximately 6 ounces in capacity or, if 8 ounces in capacity, make 5-ounce portions. Tap each glass onto a soft towel to allow the filling to settle in and remove any possible air bubbles. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2-3 hours before adding any toppings of your choice. Un-topped cheesecake can be refrigerated for 2-3 days.
Adapted from "DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style" by David Guas
Making icebox pies
•Choose cookies for the crumb crust (graham crackers, or sandwich cremes). The crust should be able to remain crisp after being filled with moist ingredients and refrigerated. Some chefs bake the crust for 5-10 minutes to give it firmness.
•Fillings can be uncooked (fresh fruit) or cooked (custards) on the stovetop.
•Once the fillings have been transferred to the pie crust, pies should be wrapped and then put in the refrigerator/ freezer for at least three hours to set. Remove and let stand for a few minutes. Slice and serve plain or with toppings such as nuts, chocolate sauce and fruit.
Source: Adapted from "Icebox Pies: 100 Scrumptious Recipes for No-Bake, No-Fail Pies" by Lauren Chattman
