Sometimes you just need a mountain of chocolate! This Chocolate Explosion has rich chocolate mousse piled high on an Oreo crust, filled with chunks of vanilla cheesecake, Oreos, nuts, toffee bits — truly indulgent!
(*avoids eye contact*)
Yeah….. so… I like chocolate.
I feel like this is an embarrassing amount of chocolate, but even so — I’m not sorry about it. This is one of those things you make on a special occasion.
Correction: this is one of those things you should only make on a special occasion, but you’re bound to be finding a lot more “special occasions” with this in your back pocket.
American friends: do you know the Chocolate Explosion from Boston Pizza?
All this time, I thought Boston Pizza was a Canadian and American thing, but when I went to do my research for this post, I found only “Boston’s” in the U.S., which seemed to be the American version, but when I checked out their menu, they had only boring, ordinary desserts like “Apple Crisp”.
As much as I love apple crisp, it is no match for the Boston Pizza Chocolate Explosion. And you shouldn’t have to live without it.
I was really debating doing this on a brownie crust, and while that would be amazing, I felt it was a little more effort than I was willing to put in, especially since there are a few parts to the dessert to begin with.
Also, when I looked at the Boston Pizza menu I noticed in the pictures that the cheesecake was baked on a chocolate crust. But I figured that was also too much effort, considering it’s smothered in chocolate mousse and those 8 Oreo crumbs you’re going to get aren’t really going to make it taste any different.
If you want to make this even easier (and no bake!) simply skip the baking of the crust (I baked mine because I like how it holds up nicely), and use a plain, store-bought vanilla cheesecake. No one will know the difference and you will still be the star of the show at the holiday gathering/birthday party/staff lunchroom.
Pinky promise.
Chocolate Explosion (Boston Pizza Copycat)
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Cheesecake
- 16 oz cream cheese (I used light) 2 packages
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
Crust
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 300 gram package Oreos (about 22 cookies)
Mousse
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 300 g finely chopped chocolate just over 10 oz
- 2 packages unflavored gelatin
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/3 cup powdered icing sugar
- 6 Oreos crushed
Garnish
- slivered toasted almonds
- toffee bits
- crushed Oreos
Instructions
- Cheesecake:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×8″ pan with tin foil or parchment paper.
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar, vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth.
- Spread into prepared pan and bake for 23-25 minutes, until top is just set (may still have a slight jiggle to it, but will look dry on top). Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating until cold.
- CrustIn a food processor, combine butter and 300g Oreo cookies and process until smooth.
- Press firmly into the bottom and 1″ up the sides of a 9″ Springform pan (or another 9″ pan — a pie plate would work!). Set aside (refrigerate if overnight).
- Mousse:In a large bowl, melt together cream and chocolate in a microwave (start with 1 minute on high, then do 30 second intervals until melted, stirring each time). Place in the refrigerator until completely chilled (the cream won’t whip unless it is very cold! Be patient).
- In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let sit 1 minute. Microwave on high for 15-20 seconds and whisk until gelatin dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Whip cream until soft peaks form, add in the sugar and gelatin gradually, whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in crushed Oreos and chopped cheesecake and spread into crust. Garnish with almonds, toffee bits, and Oreos as desired. Refrigerate at least 5-6 hours or overnight, until chilled and totally set.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Melissa says
Oh man, this is my favourite restaurant dessert in the history of the world! I need to make this recipe. 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
It’s one of my favorites too!
Sarah says
Hi ! For the mouse do you use bittersweet chocolate or semi sweet chocolate ? I am trying this recipe for my husbands birthday and can’t wait to see how it turns it
Ashley Fehr says
Either will work just great!
Chocolate D-Splosion says
Hi, I don’t own a microwave, can I just heat everything in a pot? 🙂
Thanks this will save me many dollars by not getting the BP cake anymore
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, that should work!
Jean says
Should the gelatin thicken? Like a jello form?
Ashley Fehr says
The gelatin will be added to the mousse while liquid and will enable the cake to set completely while refrigerating
Susan Kurlek says
I made this dessert today but have not tried it yet. Except for licking beaters etc. Lol!!
Do you think it would freeze well?
I think if I make it again I will freeze the cheesecake.
Thanks.
Susan
Bayfield, Ontario Canada
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Susan! I think it could be frozen, but I would probably serve it partially frozen after freezing as sometimes desserts like this are softer and don’t hold up as well once thawed
Evan B says
Does the cake end up with a weird texture? Seems like alot of gelatin. I’m making it regardless, it looks amazing.
Ashley Fehr says
It shouldn’t, no! 🙂
Mallorie says
Tastes just like the BP cake! Great recipe 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad!
Mimi says
Do you just use the cookies and not the middle stuff for the crust?
Ashley Fehr says
You will use all of the cookie
Shawna Flaro says
Cannot thank you enough! Loved by all!
Ashley Fehr says
Awesome! I’m so glad!
Kim says
I made this today, and followed your recipe, but after whipping the chocolate and whipping cream until soft peaks formed, I slowly added the unflavoured gelatine and continued to beat, but never did reach stiff peaks, and the chocolate cream seemed to be really wet (I beat it forever and nothing changed) did I do something wrong?
Ashley Fehr says
If the gelatin mixture was quite hot then it may not have whipped properly (or if the room, bowl, or beaters are very warm then it may have had the same effect). Other than that I’m not sure what could have gone wrong!
Stacey says
I plan on making this for my dads birthday on Sunday! We always get a chocolate expolision from Boston Pizza on one of our birthdays so I thought it would be fun to make! One question though, for the gelatin it says 2 packages, how many tablespoons is that? Thanks! (:
Ashley Fehr says
No problem! Each package is 2 1/4 teaspoons, so 4 1/2 for 2 packages. I hope you enjoy it!
Melissa says
It was really fun to make just one question do you cover it if chilling overnight?
Ashley Fehr says
I do cover it just so it doesn’t dry out and get gummy!
Karly says
Uh, how could anything about this be wrong with a name like “chocolate explosion”!? This looks absolutely to die for. Obsessed!
Ashley Fehr says
Lol! I totally agree!
Rosie says
Anything called chocolate explosion sounds like it has to be incredibly delicious, this looks amazing!
cakespy says
Oh my god. Just…OMG. Amazing.
Kendra @ www.joyinourhome.com says
When I saw this on your IG I immediately thought if the BP version…. I am officially requesting this as my birthday cake in December! I’ll let you know when we try it! Thx so much for sharing!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Kendra! I had to do it. Lol. It’s a little over the top but I couldn’t resist!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Holy moly, I HAVE to make this for my husband. Seriously, he loves chocolate as much as you do (an amount that should only be eaten in private to avoid strange stares), so I know he would flip his shhhh over this! I mean it’s called chocolate EXPLOSION and that says it all. You totally outdid yourself here, Ashley! PINNED! Cheers!
Ashley Fehr says
Lol! I do LOVE my chocolate but a whole Chocolate Explosion to myself would be a little much. Maybe I’m going soft?!? I don’t know what’s happening to me! Lol
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
All of my chocolate dreams are coming true with this dessert.
Ashley Fehr says
Mine too!
Kelly says
Oh my goodness, this is the ultimate dessert! We used to go to BP a lot back when we were dating and yours looks a bazillion times better! Love all the goodies you loaded it with!
Ashley Fehr says
Haha! I don’t know about that! 😉 Thanks Kelly 🙂
Julie Evink says
I love the name of this treat! Pretty much sums up it’s awesomeness!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Ashley! This is definitely one indulgent dessert! We have Boston Market restaurants here and they feature mostly down home style cooking…fried chicken, mashed potatoes etc. and the food is really quite good. But they do not have any desserts like this!
Ashley Fehr says
Oh interesting! I think all of the Boston Pizzas in the U.S. must have closed — thankfully we still have them here! Thanks Dorothy!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I’ve never heard of Boston pizza before, so it must not be a midwest thing. But, I do love this dessert! And you can NEVER go wrong with too much chocolate, ever! Looks SO good, Ashley!
Ashley Fehr says
Really?! That’s so strange! I’m sure we were in one in the U.S. at one point, but it would have been North Dakota. Either way, they know their dessert!
Julie Evink says
There was one in Grand Forks 🙂 I got hired as a manger… then errrrr ditched on it for a better job!
Ashley Fehr says
Lol! See! I am not crazy. But I could find nothing about them being in the U.S.!
Kay says
Why kind of chocolate do you use? My son wants me to make this for his birthday this Saturday.
– 300 g finely chopped chocolate just over 10 oz