Easy Double Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse Pie

Many good things all in one pie.

I was overwhelmed by many feelings this week, both good and bad. In the good column, I finally met my long-time social media pal, Susan Eisenberg and interviewed her for my podcast about her life as the voice behind Wonder Woman in the DC cartoons. As for bad, The Economist gave Trump a 60% chance of winning.

The feeling that topped them all in the end was a deep need for a cheesecake.

(And TBH, Susan loves pie, so I made it with her as we discussed the first thing Wonder Woman would take care of if she came to the United States today.)

(When you are done staring at that light and lovely piece of pie, would you mind clicking the heart-shaped “like” button above?)

The resulting recipe was a light, mousse-like cheesecake, layered with fresh strawberry jam and fresh berries. It’s remarkably easy to make, I promise. Here’s a quick breakdown of this pie event:

1. Graham cracker crust. Mine’s from scratch, but no judgements if you buy one ready-made. I recommend plain honey grahams, but Biscoff cookies would also be lovely. Please also consider Oreos or my other favorite cookie for crusts, Tate’s coconut cookies.

   

2. Unbaked cheesecake filling: This lush, mousse-like filling is merely a blend of whipped cream, cream cheese, sugar and flavorings. Keep this recipe handy, as the filling is oh-so versatile and can be adapted to fill any fruit pie, fancy tart, cream puff, layer cake or shortcake. The cream cheese helps stabilize the whipped cream, so it holds it shape, and can be made in advance.

   

3. Jammy filling and topping: Instead of the traditional pile of strawberry sauce on top, I wanted to make the most of strawberry season, and have placed a layer underneath the cheesecake and above it.

   The measurements I’ve given for berries are a guideline. If you err a little one way or the other, it will still turn out okay, so don’t stress.

   If you’re feeling like off-roading a bit, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of minced fresh basil or 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary when you add the lemon zest.

4. Fresh Strawberries: Just before serving, slice up some strawberries and pile them on top all fancy-like.

   I bought a trippily good box of California nectarines at Costco—yes, Costco—this week and think topping this pie with fresh strawberries and nectarines would be a first-class idea.

Easy Double Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse Pie

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Easy Double Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse Pie

Makes 1 9-inch pie

What You’ll Need:

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (about 12 cracker sheets)

5 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling:

1 cup cold heavy cream

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 generous teaspoon real vanilla extract

1 teaspoon real lemon extract (or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice)

For the strawberry jamminess:

1 1/2 pounds (690 grams) fresh strawberries

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch

1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated white sugar

Zest of one lemon

Fresh Strawberry Topping

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

What You’ll Do:

Make the crust:

1. Heat the oven to 350° F.

2. Blend the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter and press them evenly into the 9-inch pie dish and up the sides. I use a small measuring cup to push and smush the crust into place. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile…

Make the Strawberry Jamminess

1. Chop enough strawberries to equal about 1 1/2 cups (400 to 440 grams). Then, using a fork or better, a potato masher, mash the chopped strawberries. Stir the water and corn starch until blended. Set aside. Place the mashed strawberries in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the strawberrries begin to boil. Mix in the corn starch slurry, and allow the mixture to simmer for 1 minute, stirring constantly. It should thicken up to a jam-like consistency. If not, let it simmer a little longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon (and basil or rosemary, if using).

Make the Cream Cheese Mousse

1. Using the whisk attachment of a hand or stand mixer, whip the cream until it stands in firm peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a small bowl.

2. If using a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Add the sugar, vanilla extract and lemon extract and continue to beat until no lumps remain. Remember to scrape down the sides, etc., a few times.

3. Fold in the whipped cream by hand, being careful not to deflate the fluffy cream.

Assemble the Pie:

1. Layer half the strawberry jam over the bottom of the pie crust. Dollop the cheesecake filling over this and smooth it over the berries. Spread the remaining strawberry mixture over the top. Cover loosely with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours to chill the mixture and allow it to set.

2. Just before serving, top the pie with freshly sliced strawberries in a pleasing and decorative fashion.

Enjoy. And a Happy Father’s Day to all those who celebrate.

Here’s a pic of me and my dad about a million-trillion years ago.

What would be the first issue Wonder Woman would tackle if she found herself in the United States?

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