Ahh… Sorry to burst your bubble, but this post is not about Xtina.
I know. I’m sad about it too.
Let’s talk about my OCD.
Because everybody loves a crazy person, right?
Today, I cleaned my entire KitchenAid with a toothpick.
Cleaned as in burrowed into every nook and cranny and crevice to pry out any old cookie dough, flour, and other nasty residue.
It was the single most horrifying and awesome thing ever.
Do you clean your appliances often?
Let me tell you right now, it’s probably not often enough.
I’m scarred after today.
I mean, sheesh, I go at my stand mixer every so often, when the spirit so moves me, with a toothpick and a warm, wet paper towel, but not to the extent that I dug today.
How does all that even get all up in there?
All up in there in the weirdest places.
Have you ever unscrewed the little button thing where the meat grinder attaches to your stand mixer?
DON’T DO IT. JUST LEAVE IT.
TRUST ME.
Okay, new subject, same topic.
You know what my favorite commercials are?
Cleaning product commercials.
Ranging from face wash to shower cleaners.
I just love the feeling I get from watching dirty things become magically clean.
I get all of the satisfaction, and don’t have to get my hands dirty.
It’s like a wonderful dream.
Glad we talked about this. I’m done rambling now.
This turned out to be a lot more about dirt than I meant it to be.
See, I was more thinking mud.
Because that’s what I’m sharing today.
Mud pie.
Mississippi Mud Pie, to be exact.
Only, this isn’t any ol’ Mississippi mud pie. It’s MY Mississippi mud pie, redesigned and shined up a little bit by my imagination.
Traditional mud pie is comprised of a chocolate cookie crust and a chocolate pudding filling, topped with marshmallows and/or whipped cream.
(No, no, I know. Quit your whining. We all made gross-ass mud pies in puddles after the rain- those are not what I’m preaching about up in here. You want that, you can walk yoself out of this fine establishment.)
I took it to another gut-busting, button-bursting, chocolatized level.
Because yes.
(Chocolatize me Cap’n! Yes, Chocolate Cap’n Crunch is a thing. I know.)
I was inspired in part by the Baked guys, because I saw a snapshot of their Mississippi Mud Pie and decided to make it my way.
Then, Russell of Chasing Delicious made this amazing Mississippi Mud Cake, and I decided it was high time to get back on the chocolate wagon.
It had been so long. Summer just doesn’t always seem to be compatible with chocolate, which melts and makes a mess. I usually stick to fruit.
But here we are, with a giant chocolate pie to talk about.
I’ll talk you through the layers- it’s not as hard as it seems, I promise.
Come your next chocolate craving, make this. It will satisfy every bone and tooth in your body.
First up: chocolate cookie crust.
I used Oreos, because for some reason all the regular chocolate cookies were out of stock in all of the grocery stores near me. Whatever.
Smash up some cookies, add a little seasoning (sugar+salt) and bind the whole thing with a stick o’ butta. Yum.
Next: my favorite brownies.
These are a one-pot, one-spoon, super simple affair.
They come together in 5 minutes and bake in 15.
They’re fudgy and perfect to line the base of the crust.
Simply cut off the top of the brownie base and lay it right in your crust.
Third: milk chocolate mousse.
This stuff has two major steps, but neither is difficult.
You come away with the smoothest, fluffiest mousse, one that is very light on the tongue but is completely sliceable.
This would usually be a pudding, but I wanted something a little more sophisticated than chocolate puddin’.
A mousse is perfect for this type of molded dessert!
Spread it over the cut side of the brownies and chill until it’s completely set.
Next: salted chocolate ganache.
Rich, dark, and so, so deeply chocolaty. Need I say more?
Finally: Italian meringue.
These marshmallow-y clouds on the top of the cake are the perfect foil for all the chocolate they’re sitting on. Traditionally, these would be marshmallows or whipped cream, but I prefer the lightness and softness of meringue.
One slice of this will do in your chocolate cravings in just the right way.
Mississippi Mud Pie just done grew up.
Mississippi Mud Pie
Assemble everything in the order shown here: crust, brownies, mousse, ganache, meringue.
Chocolate Cookie Crust:
ingredients:
2 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I used about 40 Oreos, after I had scraped the cream filling out)
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons butter, melted
directions:
Mix the cookie crumbs with the sugar and salt, then gently stir in the butter.
Press into a 9-inch springform pan and chill until solid, then begin layering.
Classic Brownies
ingredients:
8 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons shortening
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
9 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flour
directions:
In a heavy pot, melt butter, shortening, chocolate, and cocoa powder together.
Once they are all melted, add the sugar and remove from the heat.
Whisk in the eggs vigorously one by one.
Add in the salt and vanilla and whisk.
Finally, stir in the flour.
Spread the batter in a greased and floured 9-inch cake pan and bake for 20 or so minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
To use in the cake, allow to cool completely, then cut off the shiny, crackly top along with about 4 mm of brownie.
Gently place in the bottom of the chilled crust, cut side up.
Milk Chocolate Mousse
ingredients:
For the pâte à bombé:
56 grams sugar
14 grams corn syrup
28 grams water
1 medium egg yolk plus 1 large egg yolk or 1.5 large or extra large egg yolks
For the mousse:
56 grams (2 ounces) pâte à bombé
4 grams gelatin
84 grams (3 ounces) milk chocolate
8 ounces (1 cup, 235 mL) heavy cream
directions:
Make the pâte à bombé: place the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Begin to whip them on high while you combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a small pot and heat to 240 degrees F.
Once the syrup comes to temp, slowly drizzle it over the whipped egg yolks while the mixer is running.
Allow the yolks to whip until they cool to body temp.
Weigh out 56 grams (2 ounces) and set aside.
Melt the chocolate gently, then set aside to cool slightly.
Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water and set aside for 5 minutes to soften.
Set aside 1/4 cup of the heavy cream and whip the other cream to stiff peaks.
Once the gelatin is softened, microwave it with the 1/4 cup cream until melted. Gently stir into the cream; the mixture will become loose.
Stir in the pâte à bombé and the cooled melted chocolate, and gently mix until homogeneous.
Mixture will be loose.
Pour over the brownie in the crust and refrigerate until set.
Salted Chocolate Ganache
ingredients:
230 grams bittersweet chocolate
130 grams heavy cream
40 grams corn syrup
Small pinch kosher salt
directions:
Heat the chocolate until half melted in a microwave or over a double boiler.
Add the cream, syrup, and salt and heat until the chocolate is 2/3 melted, about 20 more seconds on medium power in a microwave.
Stir gently, increasing speed, until the mixture is shiny and homogeneous.
Use right away- spread over the chilled and firm mousse.
Small-Batch Italian Meringue
ingredients:
38 grams egg whites
Pinch cream of tartar
75 grams sugar
25 grams water
Directions:
Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with the cream of tartar.
Combine the water and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, whip the egg whites.
When the syrup reaches 245 degrees F, the egg whites should be at soft to stiff peaks.
Slowly pour the hot syrup over the meringue with the mixer running.
Allow to whip until completely cool, then pipe onto the cake.
