I have been craving some chocolate desserts for a while, and this week seems perfect to make aย no-bake chocolate pie.ย
Now I want to be honest. As much as I absolutely love chocolate with all my heart, I fear cooking or baking with it. It is a notoriously stubborn ingredient.
But, due to my passion for desserts, I work with chocolate as much as possible to perfect its craft. Easy is not fun.
More importantly, this recipe is dear to me as it is the first ever I made for my ma’s birthday! She loves dark chocolate, so thisย chocolate pieย fits her special day.ย
And my recipe is fairly simple, with just four ingredients available in no time! The best part is you do need to bake this pie to make it a soft, gooey chocolaty wonder!
So let us begin!
A Little About the Uk’s National Pie Week
People in the UK observe the 6th of March to the 12th of March as National Pie Week. During this time, everyone enthusiastic about these sweet and savory delicacies can make, bake, and cook all their favorite pies.
Some love to record their baking process, while others like to bake with friends and family. And if you love competitive culinary experiences, various annual pie contests accept registrations!
You can also attend various pie-based events and share your mutual love for these humble pies and pastries. Overall, it is a fun week, especially as the British know their pies best.
So if you love pies, be it baking, eating, selling, creating, or all of it, then this is your moment.
Precautions for Using Chocolates
Believe me when I say chocolate is a moody ingredient. And I say that with love.
I have no complaints about the ingredient. The silky smooth, melt-in-your-mouth experience is best experienced with chocolate. But your success with chocolate depends on the care and love you put in.
For example, if you are not careful enough, you might end up with seized chocolate. It is when you are melting your chocolate and suddenly notice the silky smooth molten chocolate slowly turning into grainy and chunky bits.
This occurs due to the presence of fluid in your molten chocolate ingredients. The moisture creates a syrupy texture that attracts the chocolate into clumps.
If you want to prevent chocolate from seizing, ensure that:
- You add no liquid components into the chocolate, such as melted butter, unwhipped liquidy heavy cream, sugar syrup, etc.
- Use unmelted butter and melt it along with the chocolate to prevent seizing.
Accidents happen. But do not worry; I got you.
If your chocolate seizes, add 1 teaspoon boiling water multiple times, stirring the chocolate in-between continuously. Stop diluting the mix when the molten chocolate returns to its smooth and silky texture.
Recipe for My Chocolate Pie
Step 1: Prep Your Pie Pan
Grease the insides of a 9-inchย pie/tart panย with melted butter. You can cut out a round sheet ofย butter paperย and place it inside the pan. Use a little bit of melted butter to brush over the butter paper to seal it.ย
Step 2: Create a Pie Crust Base
Take around 35 graham cracker cookies and put them in a mixer. Pulse them a few times till they turn powdery. Open the lid, and pour in melted butter.
Pulse the mix for a few more seconds. Your pie crust powder is now ready!
Step 3: Shape Pie Crust Over Pan
Pour the pie crust mix inside the pan and use your silicone spatula to spread it out evenly. Make sure all the ends have a consistent crust coating.
You can also use your fingers to shape the pie crust against the pan. Now put it inside the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes or longer to help solidify the chocolate pie crust.
Step 4: Melt the Chocolate
As the pie crust chills in the fridge, it is time to create your molten chocolate filling!
In a dry pot, add your chocolate, whipped heavy cream, and unmelted butter. Ensure the heavy cream is not liquid and the butter is not soft or melted to prevent the chocolate from seizing.
Stir it under low heat and blend every component evenly. Soon, you will have smooth, rich, and delicious melted chocolate. Let this cool for around 10 minutes.
Step 5: Pour Chocolate Over the Crust
Once the chocolate is warm or at room temperature, it is time to make it into a pie. Bring out your chilled pie shell and pour the chocolate into it. Use your spatula to smoothen the surface in a silky, consistent texture.
This will need about 8-10 hours to chill and form into a beautiful and rich chocolate tart. You can also let it chill overnight.
Step 6: Bring the Pie Out, and Cut It!
After 8-12 hours, bring out the chocolate tart. I suggest placing it over aย ramekin bowl.ย That way, you can separate the pie from the pie tart.ย
Bring out the chocolate pie slowly, and place it on a plate.
Step 7: Enjoy Your Chocolate Pie!
Cut out a nice large pie piece and enjoy every bite of heavenly, rich, and silky sweet chocolate encased in a crumbly, soft, and lightly buttery crust.
The chocolate pie is best enjoyed when chilled. You can garnish with some whipped cream, crushed nuts, or berry compote for tarty, crunchy, and fun bites.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and have fun with pies all year round!
Chocolate Pie
Rich and decadant chocolate, encased in delicious crumbly crust, creating a smooth and silky rich chocolate pie.
- 9-Inch tart pan
- Bowls
- Silicone spatula
- Silicone Brush
- Rolled butter paper
- Kitchen knife
- Mixer
- 35 Pieces Graham Crackers
- 115 Grams Molten Butter
- 200 Grams Dark Chocolate
- 170 Grams Whipped Heavy Cream
- 3 Tbsp Unmelted Butter
Melt some butter and use your silicone brush to apply it inside the tart pan
Cut out butter paper and put it on the pan base, and brush some more melted butter
Add your graham crackers to a mixer and pulse till powdery
Open the mixer lid and pour in the melted butter. Pulse for a few more seconds
Pour the pie crust base in the pan and spread it evenly
Refrigerate the pan from 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
In the mean time, add your chocolate, whipped cream, and unmelted chocolate in a cooking pot
Mix everything in till perfectly blended. Cook on the lowest heat setting.
When you have a thick, rich, and smooth chocolate cream, let it cool for 10 minutes
Take the pie crust from the fridge and place it over a plate
Pour the warm melted chocolate over the pie crust, and spread evenly
Freeze the mixture for about 8 hours
Take it out, cut out some pie slices, and enjoy!