Gianduja Mousse Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust

An ode to Nutella.

That’s what this tart is to me, at least. Some of my acquaintances bake frequently, but don’t eat their desserts. Now this befuddles my raging sweet tooth. Why bake, stir, mix, fold, frost IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO DEVOUR THE CREAMY, LUSCIOUS PUDDING DESSERT ( See below) IF YOU’RE GOING TO ABSTAIN? Granted, my enthusiasm for all sweets makes gym sessions more frequent (Sigh), but I share the loo0o0ove with my family. So obviously I have to marry the Cheangs’ familial tastes into a singular dessert.

TADA! CHOCOLATE MOUSSE! BANANAS! BOOZE! OREOS!

Such a mouthful but only when you PUT THE WHOLE DAMN THING IN YOUR MOUTH… (Strongly suggested). When your whole family loves meat and dessert was always a far far afterthought in the household, you know something is a keeper when the WHOLE MOUSSE PIE VANISHES THE NEXT DAY.  

The star really is the hazelnut mousse, made with pure hazelnuts instead of just Nutella – creamy, luscious and melts with every mouthful. The crust is a no brainer press in, so don’t skip the extra steps to make this nutty, boozey confection! 

Gianduja Mousse Pie with Oreo Cookie Crust

For the Oreo cookie crust

·    24 Oreo cookies

·    ¼ cup melted butter

In a medium-sized bowl or a food processor, add the Oreo cookies and blend until the texture of coarse meal or crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until well combined.

Place the ground crumb mixture into a 9- or 10-inch deep-dish pie pan and press onto the bottom and up the sides evenly. Tip : I like to use a measuring cup to make layers even.

To make the hazelnut butter

2 cups roasted and skinned hazelnuts (Can be bought from Phoon Huat)

Process the nuts until smooth and blended. This will make a helluva lot of noise as it takes 12-15 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides occasionally. Continue until you have a runny, smooth paste.

For the Gianduja mousse

·       6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

·       1-1/2 cups heavy cream

·       2/3 cup hazelnut butter at room temperature

·       2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

·       2 tablespoons Baileys’ liquor

·       2 bananas, sliced thinly

·       2 tablespoons Nutella, microwaved till runny

·       2 teaspoons lemon / lime juice

To make the mousse

Melt chocolate in a microwaveable bowl in 30 second bursts, until smooth and melted. Stir. In a separate small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of the cream over medium heat to just below the boiling point. Pour the hot cream into the melted chocolate and stir together with the spatula until well blended. Using a handheld mixer, add the hazelnut butter and vanilla, Baileys and mix till smooth. 

In a chilled mixing bowl, using chilled beaters, beat the remaining 1 cup cream until it holds soft peaks. With a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in four batches, blending thoroughly after each addition. Pour the mousse into the prepared individual cookie crusts.

Garnish with thinly sliced bananas and chopped hazelnuts. Using a fork, drizzle the pies with a melted Nutella sauce. Brush the bananas with lime juice to prevent them from browning. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. 

Baker’s Notes

1.    This dessert is best made in stages, as there are many steps. I’d suggest making the Oreo cookie crust and nut butter on day 1. Finish the mousse and filling the tarts on day 2.

2.    Yellow bananas that just ripe are perfect as a firm garnish. Their brown, spotty counterparts are too mushy. If you are making these ahead, brush the bananas with lemon / lime juice. The acid prevents them from browning.

3.    I love love love Baileys’ and they gave such a boozy kick to the mousse. You can also add Frangelico liquor to punch up the hazelnut flavour.

Vietnamese Coffee Bread Puddings

I baked this because…

1.     The first time I had bread pudding with at a restaurant in Bath, England. My mind was BLOWN (!!!) by how an everyday staple could be transformed into a rich, custardy pudding that was soft and gooey.

2.    Nutella sauce on anything makes things right, even for a few seconds. And right now, with all the upheaval and parental complaints at work – I TAKE WHAT I CAN (EAT).

3.   Bananas, bread, coffee, condensed milk = everyday pantry staples for a quick, gratifying dessert.

4.   People stress eat. I stress bake. Then stress eat. Not so different from everybody else after all, hahaha.

Vietnamese coffee powder is a favourite in my household because the flavor is strong AND fragrant. Vietnamese coffee is ‘gao’, hence the addition of condensed milk and eggs. The coconut extract, cinnamon and banana make this pudding ‘tropically’ and balance well with the coffee! Usually bread pudding recipes call for stale sweeter breads like challah and brioche, but I like to clear my pantry and used a cinnamon raisin variety instead. 

Bread puddings are usually topped with ice cream or whipped cream, but my love for Nutella prevails with this easy chocolatey drizzle. There’s no recipe, just mix your desired amount of Nutella with some milk, and you can even add some coffee powder for an additional flavour boost!

Vietnamese Coffee Banana Bread Pudding

Makes 6 muffins

·       5 ounces raisin bread, torn into pieces

·       1 cups milk

·       2 tablespoons Vietnamese coffee powder

·       2 large egg yolks

·       1 egg

·       2 tablespoons cup light brown sugar

·       1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

·       ¼  teaspoons ground nutmeg

·       5 ounces sweetened condensed milk

·       1 teaspoons vanilla extract

·       1/2 teaspoons coconut extract

·       1 ripened banana, mashed

Directions

Grease muffin tins with cooking spray or butter. Preheat oven to 160C.Meanwhile, place 1/2 cup milk in small microwave-safe bowl or glass liquid measuring cup and microwave 1 minute. Add espresso powder and stir until dissolved.

In large bowl, whisk egg yolks, egg, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and until smooth. Whisk in condensed milk, espresso-milk mixture, remaining 1/2 cups milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract; whisk until thoroughly combined.

Gently stir bread and bananas together in a separate bowl. Add mixture to bread mixture, gently fold until everything has been soaked. Transfer to muffin pans and let the bread soak for a minimum of 20 minutes, or overnight.

Place dish on rimmed baking sheet and bake on middle rack until custard has set and releases no liquid when pressed, about 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before turning them out. Drizzle with Nutella sauce or garnish with freshly whipped cream.

Baker’s Notes

1.     Internet sites vary on their advice on how long to soak the bread, but I settle for a medium of 4 hours. 20 minutes makes my pudding too dry and overnight – too soggy!

2.    Bread pudding is done when the tops are puffed and golden brown, no ‘juice’ should seep out when you press the pudding.

Back in the Day Bakery - Donut Muffins

I confess, I'm not a breakfast person. Even with the rabid brunch / breakfast trends going on now, I find it impossible to get myself up before noon to consume those hefty plates that have been trending on Instagram.  Since primary school, I would happily forsake minutes of brekkie for extra sleep, and slake my hunger with full meals at the school tuckshop - Fish Ball Soup, Fried Rice, Lor Mai Kai. The savoury options were forever my go tos (back in the day). As I grew older though, and my lifestyle grew more hectic, the need for portable meals became necessary. So begin my love / hate affair for breads, cupcakes and muffins - delicious, cakey and the perfect vehicle to stuff frosting in my face ^^

Cheryl and Griffith Day weave a beautiful book full of traditional Southern treats, handed down from Cheryl's grandmother to Griffith's personal brainstorms. There were a few that stood out - Donut Muffins, Bourbon Bread Pudding and 'Nana Puddin. 

These are my spin of their donut muffins -  Plain Muffins stuffed with a Nutella peanut mix, and then rolled in cinnamon sugar. Mmm Mmm MMM - Cakey, with a lovely crunchy exterior and interior thanks to the tumble with cinnamon sugar and peanuts. Paired with a steaming cup of coffee, the perfect accompaniment whilst marking my scripts. 

Back in the Day Bakery’s Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Muffins (Makes 12)

3 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg    

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom  

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

2 tablespoons buttermilk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs

12 teaspoons Nutella 

1/4 cup chopped peanuts 

For the coating:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1.  Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 175◦C. Lightly spray 12 large muffin cups with vegetable oil spray.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cardamom. In a medium bowl, combine the milk and buttermilk.

3. In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, cream the butter for 2 to 3 minutes.  Turn the speed to low and gradually add the sugar. Continue to mix until the mixture lightens in color. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until combined. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk mixture, mixing just until smooth; do not overmix- or they will be dense.

4. With a large ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, 1/3 way through. Top the batter with a teaspoon of Nutella and a sprinkle of peanuts. Top with more batter till about 2/3s full.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are firm to the touch and lightly golden.

5. While the muffins bake, set up two bowls to dunk them in. In one bowl you will have the melted butter, and in the other bowl you will have the cinnamon sugar.

6. Let the doughnuts cool completely on a wire rack. Dunk them in the melted butter, then coat them with the cinnamon sugar. The muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Baker Notes

1. These muffins are surprisingly not very sweet, the addition of Nutella and outer coating of cinnamon sugar made it just nice.