The perfect chocolate pie!
ingredients
FOR THE PERFECT PIE CRUST:
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/3 cup water
2 sticks unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling)
CHOCOLATE FILLING:
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder (sifted)
8 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup butter (melted)
4 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
For the Perfect Pie Crust: In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar and salt in the water. Refrigerate until very cold, about 30 minutes. During that time, refrigerate your butter, flour, mixer bowl, and paddle, too.
Make sure the butter is cut into 1/2-inch dice. Bigger pieces will make the dough puffy. In the chilled bowl, combine the cold butter and flour. With your hands, toss the butter in the flour until each cube is lightly coated.
With the chilled paddle, beat the flour-butter mixture on low speed to just break up the butter, about 30 seconds. Add the water mixture all at once and raise the speed to medium-low. Beat just until the dough comes together in big chunks, then immediately turn off the mixer.
Divide the chunks of dough in half and very gently pat each group into a round 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, before rolling. You can refrigerate the disks for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 3 months.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll pie dough out to 1/8-inch thickness and line a 9-inch pie dish, allowing excess to drape over edge. Fold over edges and trim any remaining excess reserving extra dough. Chill the formed pie crust in refrigerator for 30 minutes. With the leftover crust, roll out again, and using 1 1/2-inch leaf shaped cookie cutters, punch out leaves with remaining dough. Line the pan with parchment and fill with baking beans or pie weights. Place the leaves on the rim of the pie crust overlapping to make a pretty design. If the leaves start becoming too dark, shield the rim of the pie with foil. Bake for 15 minutes or until crust is light golden. Remove parchment and baking beans or pie weights and cook additional 3 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
For the Chocolate Filling: Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add the sugars, cocoa powder, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and melted butter, and whisk to combine. Add the cornmeal, flour and salt and mix until combined. To the cooled blind-baked crust, add the chocolate-buttermilk custard.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, until the pie is set around the edges. The pie may still jiggle slightly in the center but will be mostly set. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
For the Whipped Cream: In a large chilled bowl, add heavy cream and whisk until soft peaks form. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and whip until medium peaks form form.
Tip: Save some time! Make the pie dough up to month in advance and freeze until ready to use!
