Chocolate Mousse with Hazelnut Cookie Crust

Yum, that is all I have to say, I added some of the Hazelnuts I got from OhNuts! and some Nutella to put my own spin on things. I merged 2 recipes together to get this, and I sure did like it. The cookie crust and Nutella sweetened the Mousse just perfectly and it sure was good!

Chocolate Mousse with Hazelnut Cookie Crust

For the Crust:
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened (or margarine)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (pecans, black-walnuts or butternuts)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and baking soda.
2. Add the butter, brown sugar, walnuts and vanilla.
3. Blend well.
4. Press the mixture, a small amount at a time, into a 9-inch pie plate, building up the sides and fluting the edge.
5. Cover the fluting with a strip of aluminum foil to prevent over browning.
6. Cook at 350 for 7 min

For the Mousse:
Ingredients

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 + 3/4 cups chilled whipping cream
1/8 cup sugar
Nutella
Chocolate shavings and/or chopped hazelnuts (optional)


Combine chocolate, vanilla and salt in processor. Bring 1/2 cup cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. With processor running, gradually pour hot cream through feed tube and process until chocolate is melted and smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

While cooling, melt some Nutella in the microwave, then poor over the the cookie crust to coat the bottom. Use as little or as much as you like :). Let cool.

Beat 1 cup cream and sugar in large bowl to stiff peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture.
Pour mousse into prepared crust. Chill until set, about 3-4 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)

Beat remaining 3/4 cup cream in medium bowl to firm peaks. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe rosettes of cream around edge of cake. Garnish with chocolate shavings and/or Hazelnuts.