MY GIRLFRIEND, Miss Mavis Brown, arrived on Thanksgiving day last year with her venerable chocolate pie. She had made it once before and was overwhelmed by how incredibly good it was, but noted that it had a tendency to be a bit “sloppy.” Seeing the look of concern on my face, she quickly followed with… “but I’ll bet it was because I hadn’t let it chill overnight first.”  The pie in her hands was thoughtfully chilled overnight, and just needed it’s topping and chocolate shavings. As the evening rolled by, I found myself at the table in conversation while the desserts were being enjoyed in the kitchen. I noticed that the kitchen was now more crowded than the table. I missed the pie’s debut, making it to the kitchen just in time to see the remnants. What was left was a loose mass of chocolate goo. And nobody seemed to care. I learned much from that pie. First-guests will usually eat anything made from chocolate. Second- it was so tasty, it didn’t matter what it looked like. Third, always read through a recipe before assuming it will work. 

When I was a kid, my favorite neighborhood restaurant was the Yum Yum Tree. Funny how I never questioned the absurdity of that name. Blame it on the pie. Their pies had a serious following. My favorite: the English Toffee pie. I can still recall it in sweet detail, and have found similar recipes for a “French Silk Pie” but haven’t hit the jackpot. I’ve come close, but Miss Brown’s pie gave me the shortcut to perfection. I tweaked a few things, and now have a pie that is better than what I loved as a kid, and works better than the original recipe did for Mavis.

So how can I still be rambling on and on about a pie…? Let me just describe it to you. First, you make a crust with chocolate wafers, butter and sugar. Bake that until it’s crispy, then sprinkle in some chopped bittersweet chocolate and let that melt. Spread that around and then chill it. That layer will keep the crust crunchy. While the crust is baking, make a bittersweet chocolate pudding. Give it a quick chill, then add into the pie crust. Next, whip up some cream with espresso powder, and put that over the top of the pudding. Sprinkle on some chocolate shavings and now consider that it’s going to have to be hidden soon or else it will be gone. At my house, we have to score the pie, making clear, equal divisions of ownership so everyone is accountable. Serious stuff that pie.

Some of the steps along the way…

Bittersweet Chocolate Mocha Cream Pie
makes a 9 inch pie

Set the oven to 350. Make cookie crumbs in the food processor, add the sugar, then the butter and process until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and sides of a 9″ pie dish. Bake until the crust is set and is no longer moist, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle the chocolate over the bottom of the crust. Let stand a few minutes until the chocolate softens, then spread over the bottom and sides of the crust to cover. No need to go all the way up to the top of the rim. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.

Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt to blend in a heavy medium saucepan. Gradually add 1/3 cup of the milk and whisk to form a smooth batter. In a small bowl, break up the egg yolks with a fork, and whisk in 1 cup of the remaining milk. Add this to the saucepan, along with the rest of the milk and the cream. Turn on the heat to medium, and using a flat-bottomed wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, stir constantly until the mixture is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes. It will begin to bubble at the edges. Take the pudding off of the heat, and add the chocolate and vanilla. Let the pudding cool about 1 hour on the counter, then stir well, and fill into the cooled pie shell. Cover with plastic, and re-chill the pie at least 3 hours before serving. Can be made 2 days ahead.

Using an electric mixer, whip the cream with the espresso powder and sugar until soft peaks form. Continue to beat just until stiff enough to hold it’s shape. Spread over the pie and sprinkle with chocolate. You can  assemble the pie about 8 hrs. ahead if desired. It keeps it’s structure and crunch into the next day, if you are so lucky.

Now go and find a place to hide it.

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