2016 National Pie Championship Chocolate Cream Winner
Ingredients
Crust
2 c. Oreo cookie crumbs (chocolate sandwich cookies)
¼ c. melted butter
Filling
8 oz. cream cheese-softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 pkt instant coffee
8 oz. dark chocolate
2 TBSP heavy cream
8 oz. Cool Whip (nondairy topping)
Cherries
12 oz. Dole Sweet Dark Cherries
3 TBSP Amaretto liqeur
1 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
Whipped Cream
16 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
Chocolate Shavings for garnish
Directions
In a large bowl, combine cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into a 10″ deep pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and instant coffee. Continue mixing until smooth. In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate with 2 TBSP whipping cream in 30 second intervals. Add melted chocolate to cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth and completely incorporated. Fold in Cool Whip.
Spoon filling into prepared crust and chill in refrigerator while cherries cook.
In a small saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and Amaretto. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Cook until thick. Remove from heat and chill to thicken.
When chilled, spoon cherries (NOT sauce) onto center of pie. Return to the refrigerator to chill.
In a large mixing bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff. Pipe large rosettes around edge of pie between crust and cherries.
Spoon some of the cherry liquid over the chilled cherries. Garnish with chocolate curls.
Serve chilled.