As requested; this is the recipe for Cherry Almond Mousse Pie.  As I’m a semi-homemade type of woman, the mousse is a semi-homemade type of mousse and not the traditional mousse in which you whip the egg whites, cook the egg yolks, etc., etc., etc..

We start with a baked pie crust.  If you want your mousse layer thick like mine you’ll want to use a smaller pie pan instead of a 9″ pan.  I used a Marie Callander’s pie pan that I had under the cabinet.  Yes, I’ve purchased Marie Callander pies, who can resist them, especially when they have their $5 pie sale (or is that $5.95 now?).

You will then need:

1 (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
¼ tsp almond extract
Begin by taking 1/2 a cup of the condensed milk and heating it in a small saucepan over low heat.  Add the unsweetened chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is thickened.  Remove your pan from the heat and add the almond extract.  Pour this chocolate into the baked pie crust.

Next we’ll need:

1 - 10 oz jar Maraschino cherries
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Reserving 8 or so cherries to garnish the top of the pie, chop the rest and set aside.

Next you’ll want to toast your sliced almonds;  heat a skillet and toss in your almonds. Stir or flip the almonds until they are nice and toasty.  I always like to try my hand at flipping them out the front of the skillet and letting them land back in the skillet.  Everything went well until about the 4th time I flipped them and half of them went into the kitchen floor and I had to start over.  It is fun though, give it a try.

You’ll need the following ingredients for the mousse layer:
1 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ cup cold water
remaining sweetened condensed milk
1 3.4 oz box instant Vanilla pudding
¼ tsp almond extract
1 cup whipped cream

Begin this layer by beating the softened cream cheese.  Once it is nice and smooth gradually beat in the water and the remainder of the condensed milk.

Once that is combined add the pudding mix and the almond extract.  When that is combined and thickened you’ll want to fold in the whipped cream.  Now you can make your own whipped cream or you can use that frozen tub, thawed of course.  When the whipped cream (whichever you choose) is completely folded in add the chopped cherries and the toasted almonds.

Spread the mousse over the chocolate layer in the pie crust.  Garnish with reserved cherries and some toasted almonds or chocolate curls.

Chill about 4 hours and then enjoy.