This is one complicated pie. The picture looked amazing but let me start off by saying I simply made the crust, pudding and cream cheese layers. And that was enough for my niece to say "This is the best dessert I've ever had". Those three things were quite easy to make and took very little time. My husband went absolutely nuts over the pudding!
Goo Goo Pie
Chocolate Pudding:
6 T. granulated sugar, divided
2 T. cornstarch
3 T. cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 T. whole milk, divided
2 large egg yolks
1/4cup heavy cream
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Chocolate Crust:
1 ½ cups Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer crumbs
4 T. unsalted butter, melted
Caramel Peanut Layer:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3 T. unsalted butter
1/ cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup salted peanuts
Cream Cheese Mousse:
3/4 cup cream fraiche or heavy cream
6 oz. cream cheese
3 T. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Meringue topping:
3 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of cream of tarter
1/4 cup water
1. Make pudding: In medium bowl, combine 2 T. sugar, cornstarch, cocoa pwder, and salt in medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Add 2 T. milk and yolks to dry mixture and whisk until smooth. Set yolk mixture aside.
2. In medium saucepan over med-high heat, combine remaining 1 cup milk, cream, and remaining ¼ cup sugar. Cook, stirring to dissolve sugar. When mixture begins to form bubbles around edge of saucepan, pour about ½ cup of hot milk mixture into yolk mixture, whisking continuously. Once incorporated, add yolk mixture back to saucepan and bring to boil, whisking consistently until well incorporated and yolks have cooked, about 5 minutes.
3. In bowl of electric mixer, using paddle attachment, mix pudding mixture on low speed. Immediately add vanilla and chopped chocolates. Continue mixing on low speed until chocolate has melted and mixture is cool, about 5 minutes (this ensures pudding will be smooth). Transfer to small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Make Crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat over to 350F. Place crumbs in large bowl. Toss crumbs w/ butter until they are evenly coated. Pat mixture into bottom of 9” springform pan. Bake for 5-8 minutes, until set. Set aside to cool on wire rack.
5. Make caramel peanut layer: In a med-sized sauce pan over med. heat, combine sugar and water. Bring mixture to a boil w/out stirring. Increase heat to high and cook, occasionally brushing down sides of pan w/ a wet pasty brush to prevent crystallization, until mixture caramelizes and turns amber. Immediately whisk in butter. Once butter is fully incorporated, add heavy cream and salt, whisking well. Remove from heat.
6. While caramel mixture is still hot, scatter peanuts evenly in one layer on bottom of pie crust. Pour mixture evenly over peanuts and place filled shell in refrigerator to chill.
7. Make cream cheese mousse: In a large bowl, whip cream fraiche to stiff peaks. Set aside. In bowl of electric mixture, using paddle attachment, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Mix at med.-high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in crème fraiche.
8. Begin to assemble pie: Spoon cream cheese mousse evenly over caramel and, using a spatula, spread into an even layer. Remove pudding from refrigerator and whisk it a few times to smooth is out. Spread chocolate pudding in an even layer over cream cheese mousse.
9. Make meringue topping: In bowl of electric mixture mixer, using whisk attachment, begin mixing egg whites and cream of tarter on medium speed. While egg whites are mixing, combine sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook w/out stirring and occasionally brushing down sides of saucepan w/ wet pastry brush to prevent crystallization, until mixture is just below boiling point. Once egg whites reach soft peak stage, pour sugar mixture in a slow, steady stream over whites. Continue to mix for about 3 minutes, until completely cool. Scrape meringue into pastry bag fitted with medium plain tip. Pipe meringue in tall “kiss” shapes on top of mousse layer, covering it completely. Gently pass household butane or propane torch over meringue until it is golden brown. Serve immediately until it is golden brown. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve
Source: Chocolatier Magazine, Dec. 2006
Goo Goo Pie
Chocolate Pudding:
6 T. granulated sugar, divided
2 T. cornstarch
3 T. cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 T. whole milk, divided
2 large egg yolks
1/4cup heavy cream
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Chocolate Crust:
1 ½ cups Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer crumbs
4 T. unsalted butter, melted
Caramel Peanut Layer:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3 T. unsalted butter
1/ cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup salted peanuts
Cream Cheese Mousse:
3/4 cup cream fraiche or heavy cream
6 oz. cream cheese
3 T. granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Meringue topping:
3 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of cream of tarter
1/4 cup water
1. Make pudding: In medium bowl, combine 2 T. sugar, cornstarch, cocoa pwder, and salt in medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Add 2 T. milk and yolks to dry mixture and whisk until smooth. Set yolk mixture aside.
2. In medium saucepan over med-high heat, combine remaining 1 cup milk, cream, and remaining ¼ cup sugar. Cook, stirring to dissolve sugar. When mixture begins to form bubbles around edge of saucepan, pour about ½ cup of hot milk mixture into yolk mixture, whisking continuously. Once incorporated, add yolk mixture back to saucepan and bring to boil, whisking consistently until well incorporated and yolks have cooked, about 5 minutes.
3. In bowl of electric mixer, using paddle attachment, mix pudding mixture on low speed. Immediately add vanilla and chopped chocolates. Continue mixing on low speed until chocolate has melted and mixture is cool, about 5 minutes (this ensures pudding will be smooth). Transfer to small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Make Crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat over to 350F. Place crumbs in large bowl. Toss crumbs w/ butter until they are evenly coated. Pat mixture into bottom of 9” springform pan. Bake for 5-8 minutes, until set. Set aside to cool on wire rack.
5. Make caramel peanut layer: In a med-sized sauce pan over med. heat, combine sugar and water. Bring mixture to a boil w/out stirring. Increase heat to high and cook, occasionally brushing down sides of pan w/ a wet pasty brush to prevent crystallization, until mixture caramelizes and turns amber. Immediately whisk in butter. Once butter is fully incorporated, add heavy cream and salt, whisking well. Remove from heat.
6. While caramel mixture is still hot, scatter peanuts evenly in one layer on bottom of pie crust. Pour mixture evenly over peanuts and place filled shell in refrigerator to chill.
7. Make cream cheese mousse: In a large bowl, whip cream fraiche to stiff peaks. Set aside. In bowl of electric mixture, using paddle attachment, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Mix at med.-high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in crème fraiche.
8. Begin to assemble pie: Spoon cream cheese mousse evenly over caramel and, using a spatula, spread into an even layer. Remove pudding from refrigerator and whisk it a few times to smooth is out. Spread chocolate pudding in an even layer over cream cheese mousse.
9. Make meringue topping: In bowl of electric mixture mixer, using whisk attachment, begin mixing egg whites and cream of tarter on medium speed. While egg whites are mixing, combine sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook w/out stirring and occasionally brushing down sides of saucepan w/ wet pastry brush to prevent crystallization, until mixture is just below boiling point. Once egg whites reach soft peak stage, pour sugar mixture in a slow, steady stream over whites. Continue to mix for about 3 minutes, until completely cool. Scrape meringue into pastry bag fitted with medium plain tip. Pipe meringue in tall “kiss” shapes on top of mousse layer, covering it completely. Gently pass household butane or propane torch over meringue until it is golden brown. Serve immediately until it is golden brown. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve
Source: Chocolatier Magazine, Dec. 2006