Double Chocolate Pie
Pair a rich, dark chocolate crumb crust with velvety pudding filling for a decadent chocolate experience. In my mother's household, it was known as the "birthday pie" because it was everyone's favorite.
Prep crust: 15 minutes Bake crust: 10 minutes at 350° Prep filling: 1 hour Prep meringue: 10 minutes Brown meringue: 10-12 minutes at 350°
Makes: 6 servings Pan: 6-inch pie plate Difficulty: intermediate
Ingredients:
Crust:
3/4 cup Mandy's Dark Chocolate Cookie Thins crumbs (19 cookies)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 tablespoon sugar
Cooking spray
Filling:2 large eggs separated (reserve whites for meringue topping)1 ounce Baker's unsweetened chocolate1 1/3 cups whole milk, divided1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons (90g) sugar1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour1/4 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon butter1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Meringue Topping:2 large egg whites1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar2 tablespoons sugar
Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to center for crust and another rack to about 6 inches below top heating element for meringue. Pre-heat the oven to 350°.
To make crust: Process chocolate wafers to fine crumb consistency. Melt the butter in a microwave oven. In a small bowl, stir together crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Lightly spray a 6-inch pie plate. Use your fingers to press crumb mixture on bottom and up sides of pie plate. Tamp down with the back of a measuring cup or spoon. Bake 10 minutes at 350° on center rack. Let cool on wire rack while you prepare filling.
To make filling: In the top of a double boiler, heat 1 cup of the milk with chocolate squares. After chocolate has softened, whisk together to blend. Combine remaining 1/3 cup milk, sugar, flour, and salt in a blender or smoothie cup. Blend to thoroughly combine. Add flour mixture gradually to chocolate mixture, whisking vigorously until mixture has thickened. Cook 10 minutes more, whisking frequently. Turn down the heat so that boiling water is not touching the base of the double boiler top. Whisk a small amount of chocolate mixture into 2 egg yolks. Gradually add the egg yolks to the chocolate mixture and whisk hard to combine. Cook 2 more minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool 1-2 minutes on counter. Stir in the butter until melted. Stir in the vanilla to thoroughly combine. Pour the filling into the crust.
Pre-heat the oven to 350°.
To make meringue topping: In a clean metal or glass bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric beater until glossy and beginning to hold shape. Add cream of tartar and beat to combine. Slowly add sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating well until sugar is incorporated. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, taking care to spread all the way to edges of pan. Place pan 6 inches below top heating element in oven (meringue should be 4" from element) and bake 10-12 minutes, until mottled golden brown. Start checking meringue at 8 minutes to prevent scorching. Remove pie from oven and let cool on wire rack.
After the pie cools, refrigerate to thoroughly chill and firm up the pudding filling. If serving within 4-6 hours, do not cover. After the first serving, cover the pie.
After the pie cools, refrigerate to thoroughly chill and firm up the pudding filling. If serving within 4-6 hours, do not cover. After the first serving, cover the pie.
Tips:
- You can replace cookie crumb crust with pre-baked pie pastry shell. Make sure you pour hot filling into hot crust to prevent "soggy" crust.
- If you don't own a double boiler, replace the top with a heatproof bowl. Do not cook the filling directly on the stove top.
- You can replace 2 egg yolks in filling with 1 whole large egg.
- Substitute Baker's chocolate squares with 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon butter.
- Top thoroughly chilled pie with 1/2 cup whipped cream in place of meringue.
- To make cookie crumb crust for 9-inch pie plate, use 1 1/2 cups Mandy's Dark Chocolate Cookie Thins crumbs, 5 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 tablespoon sugar.
- To make filling for 9-inch pie plate, use 3 egg yolks or 2 large eggs, 2 ounces Baker's unsweetened chocolate squares, 2 1/2 cups divided whole milk (blend 1/2 cup with dry ingredients), 3/4 cup (152g) sugar, 1/3 cup plus 1 heaping tablespoon (50g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Make meringue with 3 egg whites.