Dessert Addiction

Hi, I'm addicted to desserts. I love chocolate. I love to bake. I love anything to do with chocolate. I saw a recipe on one of the blogs I follow a while ago that I knew I needed to try out. It looked pretty awesome. On New Years Eve, I had to work a normal day and we had plans to go over to a friend's house afterwards to celebrate the New Year. I knew I wouldn't have a lot of time to get a dessert together and this recipe is actually pretty quick to pull together! I used store-bought cookie dough and a brownie mix to save time (but I'm sure it's even more decadent with real homemade cookies & brownies as well!) Enjoy :)

Glenn's Stargazer Pie
Adapted from Dozen Flours

Crust

1 16.5 oz tube of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, softened

Brownie Layer
1 box of Ghiradelli Double Chocolate Brownie mix (or any kind you want)
1/2 cup of cocoa powder, sifted
3 tablespoons of lukewarm water
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or almond extract- which I don't have)

Cream Cheese Truffle Layer (I doubled this from original recipe)
2 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped
6 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped then melted
8 oz of cream cheese, softened
1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp of vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Layer
2 cups of whipping cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (give or take) of chocolate curls or other garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9 or 9 1/2 inch springform pan with butter.

Spread the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan, making one big even cookie. It will be a little on the thin side, but don't worry, there will be enough. Use a fork to tamp it down. Stick it in the freezer.

Mix the brownie mix and the cocoa powder together in big bowl with a whisk or large fork. Add the water, oil, eggs, and almond extract and mix together until the dry ingredients are absorbed. Be careful not to over mix! The batter should be somewhat lumpy.

Remove the springform pan from the freezer and add the brownie batter right over the top. Bake for 34-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownie comes out almost clean.It should be a tad bit less baked than you would a normal brownie.

Remove it from the oven and promptly sprinkle about 2 oz of bittersweet chocolate over the top. Let it sit for a minute or two and once the chocolate chips are soft, evenly spread them over the top of brownie's surface. Let it cool on the counter. I didn't let mine cool enough- the chocolate should set before you add the cream cheese layer.

While the pie is cooling, microwave the remaining 6 oz of chocolate on low power (2 or 3) on 30 second intervals until it is melted, stirring well each time. Set aside. Cream the butter, and cream cheese together for 1 minute. Add the vanilla and stir again. Add the melted chocolate, one big teaspoonful at a time until it's totally incorporated into the cream cheese. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the pie and store it uncovered in the refrigerator for an hour.

About an hour or two before you're ready to serve the pie (or when it's totally cooled off), whisk the whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and the powdered sugar and mix again until combined. Spread evenly over the top of the pie. Grate chocolate directly over the top, sprinkle chocolate curls, or embellish with chocolate sprinkles. Cover and put it back in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 an hour.

When you're ready to serve, run a thin knife or spatula to around the edge of the pan to free it from the outside ring. Gently remove the ring and serve let it come to room temperature at least a half an hour before serving. You'll know it's ready to serve when you're able to cut it from the center fairly easily.
 
I thought I had photographed a slice of pie but I guess I didn't! 
View from the side

 
Inside view of the pie