broke, bored, and hungry: White Chocolate Bailey's Mousse Pie with Bailey's Whipped Cream

Happy pi(e) day!

Get it? Because it's March 14th. 3.14.

It's also just a really good excuse to make a pie.

And keeping with the St. Patrick's Day theme, I decided to make a pie with Bailey's. I chose this one because I like that it's made with white chocolate. Typically desserts that incorporate Bailey's have a milk or dark chocolate base.

Warning: This pie is very boozy. This is a good thing. It has a generous portion of Bailey's in the mousse and in the whipped cream. I actually felt a little tipsy after eating a piece. Granted it was a gigantic piece with enough whipped cream for a whole pie. Accompanied by some Bailey's on the rocks. It was glorious.

This pie is light and fluffy and absolutely delicious. It's a little tricky to dish out because it is so soft so, after letting it chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, I would recommend popping it in the freezer for about an hour prior to cutting and serving. You can either refrigerate or freeze the leftovers. In the refrigerator, it will only last a day or two because the mousse and whipped cream will begin to breakdown and the crust will start to get soggy (though not even that would stop me from devouring it). It holds up wonderfully in the freezer. You can either thaw it out for about a half hour in the refrigerator or enjoy it frozen!

Not in the mood for pie? That's fine! Serve the mousse in cup topped with a huge dollop of the whipped cream.

God, this is a wonderful and versatile. And sugary and alcoholic. And Irish. I'm in love.

Bailey’s Mousse Pie with Bailey’s Whipped Cream

Bailey’s Mousse Pie (from Saving Room for Dessert)

Graham cracker pie crust (or you could make your own but I was feeling lazy)
1 1/3 cups white chocolate chips
1/3 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 eggs)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Bailey’s Whipped Cream (adapted from How Sweet It Is)

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1. Melt chocolate and Bailey's in a metal bowl over hot water. Make sure no water touches the chocolate or it will seize up. Use a spatula to blend well and keep from burning. Remove from heat.

2. Using a mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until stiff peaks hold their shape. Set aside.

3. Whip 1 cup heavy cream until stiff.

4. Gently fold egg and whipped cream together.

5. With a large spatula, gently fold white chocolate mixture into egg white mixture. Do not over mix. However, it will take some time because white chocolate mixture is very thick in comparison to the egg/whipped cream mixture.

6. Spoon into cooled pie crust and chill in the freezer while preparing the whipped cream topping.

7. For the whipped cream: In the bowl, add cream, vanilla and Baileys. Mix with an electric mixer (or in your stand mixer). Then add sugar and mix a little more.

8. Spread the whipped cream over the mousse and chill for another four hours. I would suggest putting it in the freezer for about an hour before cutting and serving so that it holds its shape.