My mom made this dessert every year for Christmas as far back as I can remember. According to her notes, it’s a Betty Crocker recipe from the 1970s. The title of the recipe talks about it being a “make ahead dazzler.” Don’t you just love that?! Believe or not, I’ve never made it. Until, this year… When I served it the other night, both my son & my husband said it was just like they remember it from when my mom would make it. I hope you try it and make your own memories.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups regular Oreo cookies (1 1/2 have sleeves of cookies)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened (I used low fat)
- 1/2 cup sugar, divided
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup chocolate morsels, melted
- 1 cup whipping cream, whipped until stiff peaks are formed
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- Whipped cream & crushed peppermint for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan.
- Combine Oreo cookies and melted butter in a food processor. Pulse until finely crushed. Press onto the bottom of the spring form pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press into the bottom of the pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
- Combine softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the sugar and vanilla using a beater. Whip until fluffy.
- Whisk the egg yolks into the melted chocolate. Immediately add the chocolate and egg mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Whip until smooth.
- Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Slowly add the other 1/4 cup of sugar to the egg whites until thoroughly incorporated. Fold into cream cheese & chocolate mixture.
- Now fold in the whipped cream and pecans.
- Pour the chocolate mousse evenly over the crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap is touching the top of the mousse. Freeze for several hours.
- Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint.
- Cake will keep in the freezer for several days, as long as you keep it tightly covered with plastic wrap.
