Chocolate Pumpkin Pie #43

So it seems like an obvious combination, right? Chocolate and pumpkin. I mean who doesn't love a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie every once in a while, or some warm pumpkin bread with chocolate chips? So yes, pumpkin and chocolate seem to be a perfect marriage of delightful indulgence and health (note the vegetable and antioxidant combination).

This pie, however, was not really the symphony of satisfaction that I expected it to be. And as far as the Pumpkin Pie Panel testers went, they rated this one as their least favorite of the non-traditional Pumpkin Pies.

Here's the thing, I don't think it awful. I finished mine and enjoyed it. Also, since there was SO much extra filling left over (really, there is SO MUCH FILLING for one 9 1/2 in pie pan--be prepared to make another small one or maybe just be smart from the beginning and prepare two 9 inch pans), I took a small pie (with a gingersnap crust) to work with me the next day and shared it with some co-workers. It got pretty good reviews there so again, I'm just saying, it's not awful--not at all.

But (and this is a BIG but), it doesn't taste like pumpkin.

That's kind of a problem for a pumpkin pie.

I mean, it's got the spices in there, and yeah, there's a wee stitch of pumpkiness in the flavor, but it just tastes like kind of an interesting chocolate pie.

I don't want to completely scare you away from this pie combination. It can be done. But the pumpkin shouldn't be masked and that's the problem with this pie, at least in my opinion. Hopefully this recipe can be used as a jump start for an even better pumpkin chocolate pie combination, but this, my friends, is probably not it.

(Speaking of putting together amazing pie combinations, did anyone else happen to read this article today? I know it's pie season and all, but YEAH FOR PIE!)

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
(Adapted from Martha Stewart)

Graham Cracker Crust

2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs (about 16 crackers)

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61 percent cacao), finely chopped

Filling

6 ounces semisweet chocolate (preferably 55 percent cacao), chopped

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin (or two cups roasted pumpkin)

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pinch ground cloves

DIRECTIONS

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugars, salt, and cinnamon in bowl. Firmly press mixture into bottom and up sides of a deep, 9 1/2-inch pie dish. Bake until firm, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, and sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over bottom of crust. Return to oven to melt chocolate, about 1 minute. Spread chocolate in a thin layer on bottom and up sides. Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Filling: In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt semisweet chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.

Mix pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/3 pumpkin mixture into chocolate mixture. Whisk in remaining pumpkin mixture until completely incorporated.

Transfer pie dish to a rimmed baking sheet, and pour pumpkin mixture into crust. Bake until center is set but still a bit wobbly, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pie dish on a wire rack. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours (preferably overnight). 

S'more Pie #25

The best part of sitting around a fire is making s'mores. I have the patience to roast a whole bag of marshmallows and I'm not afraid to admit that I have the stomach to eat at least half of them too. So, you might guess that I've been excited to make a s'more pie sometime this summer. It just seems like a very summery pie--in a camping-out-under-the-stars sort of way.

Also, I don't get much s'more activity here in the city--but don't think I haven't tried. In fact, once I made this awful graham-cracker-chocolate-marshmallow mess for my friend, Lisa. It's quit possibly one of the worst experiments I've ever made. 

But since it was her birthday (and because I've always hoped that my marshmallow roasting abilities would amount to something), I thought it might be the right time to feed her some chocolate and hopefully redeem myself as well. And while I can't confirm that she's the biggest s'more lover, she is the biggest chocolate lover I know, and I can think of no better way to consume chocolate in the summertime than eating it sandwiched between graham crackers and toasted marshmallows.

Quote from Lisa while eating this last night: "It's not that I only like chocolate desserts, it's just a more calorie efficient dessert since I'm going to eat chocolate one way or another. "

The reviews for this pie were all-around pretty positive. Not surprisingly, Lisa said she liked the chocolate to marshmallow ratio. A few people commented on how they liked the crispy browned surface of the marshmallow layer. Personally, I thought it was delicious. I was happy with the texture of the chocolate, the cinnamon in the crust, and the brulee-like surface of the marshmallow topping. It might be the best graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow creation I've made--but I'm willing to do some further testing on my next camp-out.

S'more Pie

Crust:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (find the graham cracker recipe here)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Chocolate Filling:

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (finely chopped)

1 cup heavy cream

2 large eggs whisked (and at room temperature for 30 minutes)

Pinch of salt

Marshmallow Topping:

1/2 teaspoon butter

2 cups mini marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie pan. Stir together cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over the top and stir until crumbs are evenly coated. Pour into butter pie pan and press evenly on the bottom and all sides of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

While crust is baking, chop the chocolate and pour into mixing bowl. Heat the cream in a heavy saucepan, bringing it just to a boil (be careful not to burn it). Pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it stand for about 1 minute. Gently whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Slowly whisk in egg and a pinch of salt until combined and smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into graham cracker crust (crust should be about 1/2 way full).

Cover edge of pie with a pie shield or foil so the edges of the crust are covered. Bake until filling is softly set and jiggles slightly in the center when shaken (about 25 minutes). Cool pie to room temperature on a rack for about 1 hour.

Marshmallow Topping:

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the marshmallows just as the butter finishes melting and stir continuously with spatula until marshmallows have melted.

Note: don't over-melt the marshmallows. It's better to have one or two not completely melted than to burn the topping.

Act quickly and pour the melted marshmallows on top of the cooked pie. Smooth marshmallows across the surface and get as close to the edge as possible (however, it's okay if you don't actually touch the crust to the topping since it will puff during baking). As the topping begins to harden, it may be easier to grease the back of a spoon or your fingers and use them to manipulate the topping.

Turn the oven onto hi broil and place the pie under the broiler on the uppermost rack (keep the foil guard on the pie crust for this step). Watch the pie carefully because it can burn rather quickly. Remove when topping is golden brown. Let the pie rest about 10 minutes before serving.

Slice pie with warm knife.

Chocolate Cream Pie #7

I've been wanting to make this pie for two weeks, but because of some unforeseeable busyness and a bout of sickness, I didn't actually get a chance to make this pie until this week. I am, however, glad I waited. After all those busy days and sick nights, I needed a serious dessert, and this hit the spot.
I've had a few people recommend pies or give me tips since starting this blog and since I haven't written back to some of you (so sorry!) let me just take this moment to say thanks. I've got quiet a list of pies to work through this year, but I am always open to "Piedeas" (as one reader called them).

On that note, I should tell you that this recipe came from my good friend, KT, who lives all the way across the country. KT and I were in a band together (KT was her "band name," which sounded tougher than Karren Louise). She was on the keyboard and I was on drums. We rocked. And by rocked, I mean we took ourselves really seriously until KT broke up the band and decided that business school was more important to her life than "The Orange Tommies."

As it turns out, she was right. I must say, she's always right (at least I can't think of when she's been wrong). So when she told me that this pie was THE. BEST. CHOCOLATE. CREAM. PIE. SHE'S. EVER. HAD. PERIOD.

I had to try it.

And you know what? She was right again.

The chocolate pudding is decadent (I had to monitor the fridge so it didn't all get eaten before I put it in the crust). It will make your head spin, so proceed with caution unless you've had a rough week need a good chocolate wallop to make you feel better. Oh, and did I mention that the pudding is even easier than opening up a box of Jell-o? Well, it is. And it tastes about 100 times better too.

I fudged (no pun intended) on the crust a little bit. Again, I just wanted to make it from scratch, so I've included the chocolate wafer recipe that I used and the way I made the crust, but follow the link to the original recipe if you want to do it that way.

I must say, however, that I was really happy with how my crust turned out. It held together very well for a crumb crust and it had just the right crunch to chewiness ratio for me.

We shared it with a few friends and all described it thus:
1-Rich
2-Creamy
3-Good crust
4-Delicious!

So there you have it. KT is always right, but try it yourself, the proof is in the pudding...literally.

Chocolate Wafers:

(adapted from Bubby's Homemade Pies)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa

11/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated. On low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Shape the dough into a 2-inch-diameter log. Wrap it well and chill completely—at least two hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Slice the dough into 1/8-inch slices and place them 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake them for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell good and remain firm when lifted with a spatula.

Cool the cookies on a wire rack, uncovered, overnight or until they are completely dry and wafer-like.

Us a food processor to crumb the cookies or put the cookies in a resealable plastic bag and press the air out before sealing. Roll over the bag of cookies with a rolling pin until they form fine crumbs.

Chocolate Cream Pie

(Adapted from Gourmet Magazine 2004)

Crust:

2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
5 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1 pint chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together crumbs, chocolate, and sugar. Pour hot melted butter over the top and combine (The butter will melt the chocolate). Firmly press onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes and before cooling on rack, use the back of a spoon to press the hot crust back up the sides of the pan. Cool completely.

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and yolks in a 3-quart heavy saucepan until combined well, then add milk in a stream, whisking. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 1 minute (filling will be thick).

Force filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then whisk in chocolates, butter, and vanilla. The pudding should still be warm hot enough to melt the chocolate. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap (make sure there are no air bubbles between the pudding and the plastic wrap) and cool completely, about 2 hours.

Spoon filling into crust and chill pie, loosely covered, at least 6 hours.
Just before serving, beat cream in a bowl using an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks add vanilla and sugar and spoon on top of pie.

Sprinkle chocolate flakes on top of pie (optional).

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie #5

We debated a little bit about what a "Pie" actually is after this last one.
Ryan claims that a pie is:

1-a crust that you roll out
2-filled with fruit
3-has a crust on the top

And although I'd like to support him in his reasoning, while I've been searching for recipes, I've spent a bit of time reading up on what a pie actually is (especially weighted against a tart) and I've found the definition to be fairly loose:

1-cooked in a pie pan
2-has a crust
3-and a filling

And the variations are according to your desires.

I guess...but I'm willing to correct myself if I find out that's not correct.

However, even if you don't believe in cookie crusts or silky smooth fillings in your pie, you can't deny the deliciousness of this pie.

(Unless you don't believe that peanut butter and chocolate are a delicious combination. In that case, we probably can't be friends.)

Also, I wasn't trying to make things harder than they should be, but I think it's time to tell you that I have an obsession with making things from scratch. And since I'm doing lists today, here's why I'm obsessed with making things from scratch:

1-it tastes better (most of the time)
2-it costs less (some of the time)
3-and it doesn't have all the unnatural preservatives/high fructose corn syrup/ingredients that I can't pronounce in them (which, if the other two reasons aren't backing my obsession, this one always is)

For that reason, I made Graham Crackers and used them for my crust and I'll share the recipe here. I have to admit (even though I don't want to) that using store bought graham crackers is probably not going to ruin this pie (but I do believe the homemade cookies made it even better and always will).

This pie had just the right amount of sweet and moussey peanut butter to rich chocolate and I thought the crust was the perfect compliment. (And to think, I almost made a chocolate crust!) So, whether you want to call this a pie or not, and I think Ryan will agree, it is delectable. Oh man, I'm starting to get hungry again just thinking about it.

Peanut Butter Pie
(adapted from Bubby's Homemade Pies)

Graham Crackers:

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons water
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
6 tablespoons sugar
1 egg, well beaten
¼ cup honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt, and set aside.

Dissolve the baking soda in the water, then set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and egg until they are light and fluffy. Add the honey and baking soda mixture, and mix until incorporated. Add the flour mixture gradually, scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally, and mix just until uniform.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 2 lumps. On a generously floured (use all-purpose) surface, roll out the dough one lump at a time to 1/8 inch thick. Cut the dough into approximately 4x4-inch sections, so that they will be easy to flip with a spatula during baking. Place the sections on a baking sheet 1 inch apart and roll out the rest of the crackers in the same way. Poke each cracker several times with a fork.

Bake the crackers for 6 to 8 minutes, then flip them over (the underside should be lightly browned). Bake for another 4 to 6 minutes, until the other side is lightly browned. Turn the oven off and open the oven door. Loosen the crackers with a spatula, snack on a few, and let the remaining dry out in the oven for 2 more hours.

Graham Cracker Crust
Makes one 8- to 10-inch single crust

1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
5 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a large bowl, mix the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and stir until evenly combined. (You don’t need to worry about overworking a crumb crust.)

Press this mixture into an 8-to-10-inch pie tin with your fingers, striving to make the distribution and thickness of the crumb crust as even and compacted as possible. If you’re using an aluminum tin and you have a spare, press the spare tin on top of the crumb crust and put pressure on the top tin to make the crumbs more compact. Remove the second aluminum tin. Refrigerate the crust for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Bake the crust for 8 minutes uncovered, until it begins to smell good and is lightly browned near the crust edge. Cool at room temperature and refrigerate before filling.

Peanut Butter Filling
1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups heavy cream

Chocolate Ganache
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons shaved chocolate, to decorate the top (optional)

Use the paddle attachment of an electric mixer at medium, then high speed, to beat together the sugar, peanut butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until they are light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it holds good, stiff peaks. Place a few spoonfuls of whipped cream in the peanut butter mixture and mix on medium speed to combine evenly. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold it into the mousse on the slowest setting, until all the chunks are gone. Cover and refrigerate.

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over low heat and stir until smooth. Add the cream, stirring continuously, until completely combined. Spread a thick layer of ganache in the pie shell, covering the bottom and the sides of the crust as evenly as possible, using an offset spatula, spreading from the center outward and up the sides with arcing strokes. Chill the crust in the freezer until the ganache is set.

Fill the pie with the peanut butter mousse, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the top of the pie with the shaved chocolate.

Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours before serving. Store it in the refrigerator loosely covered for up to 4 days.