Baker's® Raspberry Ganache Pie

I woke up one morning earlier in the week thinking about the lovely chocolate mousse pie I had at the steakhouse a couple of weekends ago. My thoughts were that I have to make it. Then I spotted a recipe one of my blogging friends made for her son's birthday, a chocolate mousse cake that she posted and I couldn't believe that we seemed to be on the same wave length! Any how, I ventured out in the blustery wind and went to the store. The cold and wind had me so flustered that I completely forgot to check my cookbooks for how to make mousse.

Well I was going to have to rely on my memory (which can be pretty feeble) back to my youth when I saw our head chef at Maxfield's making chocolate mousse. One of the popular desserts then (in the 70's) and it's still popular today! Okay I seemed to remember egg whites and chocolate so while at the store I picked up a box of Baker's® semi-sweet chocolate. On the box was a picture of their Raspberry Ganache Pie with the recipe inside of the box. I figured their original German Chocolate Cake was a spot on recipe so I took the chance this one from their kitchen was as well.

So the chocolate mousse pie was put on the back burner and I made this instead and I am glad I did. This is such an easy recipe to make, seriously easy. To put this together takes about five minutes. Buy a pre-made chocolate crust and you only need four other ingredients and a little water!

• pre-made chocolate crust
• 2 pkg. Bakers® semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• raspberry jam (2 tbsp. / 4 tbsp.)
• 1 tbsp. water

1. Place the chocolate and the heavy cream in a microwaveable bowl. Heat on high for one minute. Whisk. Heat on high for one more minute. Keep whisking. Heat for 20 second more if necessary. Make sure you whisk it well to incorporate.
2. Add two tablespoon of raspberry jam and stir well to combine - heat for 10 seconds if need be, but make sure it's totally whisked in.
3. Pour into your pie shell. Refrigerate for four hours.
4. Take the four tablespoons of jam and add the water. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir well.
5. Arrange the berries on the pie and brush with the jam. Refrigerate to set for 1/2 hour or longer.

This pie is a chocolate lover's dream come true. It's rich and decadent and you only need a small slice to fulfill your chocolate craving. I am not quite as much a chocolate lover as my other half but this pie makes me believe that chocolate can actually brighten your day. After the photo shoot and to be absolutely sure it was good I of course ate a little piece - well I had to tell you the truth didn't I?

Keep the pie refrigerated and covered after you serve it. This is so decadent you don't need huge pieces. It should serve 6-8 portions.

However in my house my husband, who somewhere along the line became addicted (highly I might add) to chocolate, would probably think that the pie would serve only four portions! This is a man that will stuff Oreo cookies in his pajama bottom pockets to take for a bed time snack, like a chipmunk would stuff sunflower seeds in their cheeks!

Hope you enjoy this simple and decadent dessert. This recipe cost me $12.47, feeds 6 portions for $2.07 each or 8 portions for $1.55 each. I guess this might seem expensive to some but the dessert is worth it. Plus, it's a showcase type recipe you would be proud to serve guests!

Now that I've photographed I guess I can allow my husband (who has been waiting so patiently since yesterday) to indulge. He asked for a slice yesterday and my response was: "You know the rule - no cutting until the photographs are done." I pity the families of bloggers...because we all do it; we make our families wait to eat ANYTHING until a photograph is taken!