Ingredients
1st Place Chocolate
Crust
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
8 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cold
4 Tablespoon vegetable shortening, cold
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup very cold water
Chocolate Glaze Filling
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
3 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup
Strawberry Cream Filling
1-1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 Tablespoons water, divided
8 oz strawberries (fresh or frozen then thawed), stemmed, cores removed, and halved
2 Tablespoons sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chocolate pearls
Chocolate Cookie Ring
2 oz cream cheese, softened
10 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
Strawberry Mousse Filling
10 oz strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 Tablespoons orange juice
1-3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy cream
Chocolate Mousse Filling
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons water
4 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
12 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
8 oz pate a bombe
1/3 cup strawberry-flavored chocolate pearls
Chocolate Mirror Glaze
2-1/4 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups water
1-1/2 cups cocoa powder
1/2 cup sour cream
10 gelatin sheets
Chocolate Glaze
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
3 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup
Speckles
1/4 teaspoon pink edible luster dust
1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons piping gel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pink food coloring, as desired
Directions
Crust
Mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse in the butter until the pieces are the size of large beans. Pulse in the shortening until mixture resembles coarse wet sand and there are no pieces larger than peas. Add the vinegar to the water. Pulse in the water mixture until incorporated but before a dough ball forms. Remove the dough from the processor and pat into a 4-inch disc on a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Roll out the pie dough out to a circle large enough to fill a large, 12-inch pie pan. Line the pan with the rolled crust and crimp the edges as desired. Freeze for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F. Line the dough with aluminum foil and pie weights. Bake for 60 minutes. Remove the weights and foil. Continue baking 2 to 5 minutes more or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before filling. Some of this pie€™s components are formed using the Silikomart-brand two-piece Flame mold. The components can be made and assembled by layering the components in the pan without this mold.
Chocolate Glaze Filling
Heat the heavy cream to steaming. Pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Add the corn syrup and whisk together until uniform. Pour over the bottom of the crust and spread evenly.
Strawberry Cream Filling
Sprinkle the gelatin over 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl; set aside. In a saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, and water. Cook over medium heat until the strawberries have softened to an almost jam-like texture. Puree the strawberry mixture in a food processor. Return the strawberry puree to the saucepan. Whisk in the softened gelatin and heat the mixture, stirring constantly, until the gelatin dissolves. Measure out 2/3 cup of the mixture and set aside to cool to room temperature. Discard any remaining mixture.
Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and reserved, cooled strawberry mixture. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the strawberry-cream cheese mixture. Fold in the chocolate pearls. Spread the mixture evenly over the Chocolate Glaze Filling.
Chocolate Cookie Ring
Beat together the cream cheese and cookies until uniform. Spread out evenly on a sheet of parchment in a 8-inch circle. Cut out a 1-inch-wide ring 8 inches across. Freeze.
Strawberry Mousse Filling
In a food processor, puree the strawberries, sugar, and orange juice. Strain the puree through a sieve to remove any seeds. Add 1/2 cup of the strawberry puree to a glass measuring cup and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Microwave the puree over low heat in 5 seconds bursts, stirring between each burst, until the gelatin has melted. Remove from the heat and combine it with 2/3 cup of the remaining puree. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Discard any remaining puree.
Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the strawberry puree into the whipped cream. Fill the small round ring mold halfway with the strawberry mousse. Insert the chocolate cookie ring. Fill the small round ring mold to the top with the strawberry mousse. Discard any remaining mousse. Freeze the filled ring mold until completely frozen, about 4 hours.
Chocolate Mousse Filling
Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan until the mixture reaches 248F. In a mixing bowl, whip the egg yolks with a mixture until light and fall from the paddle in ribbons. Gradually mix the hot sugar syrup into the egg yolks until combined. Continue beating on medium speed until the mixture is cool to room temperature. Measure out 8 ounces of the mixture and discard any remaining. While the mixture is cooling, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Combine the egg mixture with the melted chocolate. The mixture will stiffen. Whisk in one-third of the whipped cream to lighten the mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream and the strawberry chocolate pearls. Fill the flame-sharped mold about 2/3 way with the chocolate mousse. Unmold the strawberry mousse from the small round ring mold and press the ring into the chocolate mousse. Continue filling the flame mold with the chocolate mousse. Scrape the mousse level with the top of the mold. Freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.
Chocolate Mirror Glaze
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan. Whisk in the cocoa powder followed by the sour cream. Wring excess water from the gelatin sheets and whisk in until dissolved. Transfer to a measuring cup and leave sit until mixture reaches 90F. Remove frozen chocolate mousse from mold and set of a cooling rack on a sheet pan. Pour the glaze over the mousse. Let sit until the glaze stops dripping. Make the chocolate glaze, below., and cover the top of the pie with the glaze before transferring the glazed flame mold to the top of the pie.
Chocolate Glaze
Heat the heavy cream to steaming. Pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Add the corn syrup and whisk together until uniform. Pour over the top of the Strawberry Cream Filling just before topping with the glazed chocolate mousse structure. Top with the glazed chocolate mousse.
Speckles
In a small bowl, mixture together the luster dust and extract to create a paint-like consistency (not all of the extract may be needed). Using a toothpick or the tines of a fork, splatter the edible paint over the top of the pie.
Whipped Cream
Whip together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, piping gel, vanilla extract, and food coloring until mixture holds stiff peaks. Decorate the top of the pie with the whipped cream as desired.