This chocolate chess pie, with its unforgettable fudgy filling and flaky, buttery crust, is a traditional Southern consolation that can transport you straight to dessert heaven, chunk after chunk. And it couldn’t be simpler to make!
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I really feel like chocolate pies don’t get sufficient consideration. I’m right here to vary that. In case you’ve tried my Chocolate Cream Pie and this French Silk Pie, you recognize that chocolate and pie belong collectively. And this chess pie proves it once more. It’s a wealthy, buttery, cocoa-infused dream that delivers daring, unforgettable chocolate taste with each chunk. And the feel? Think about the gooey, melt-in-your-mouth, completely [just barely] underbaked heart of a pan of brownies…that’s this complete pie! And don’t even get me began on the buttery, flaky crust. It’s the BEST complement to all that wealthy, chocolaty goodness.
This traditional Southern pie has been a staple for generations, and after getting your first chunk, you’ll perceive why. It’s a top-notch comforting, old-school dessert that immediately evokes nostalgia.
Chocolate Chess Pie Is a Southern Traditional Value Baking
Questioning why this chocolate chess pie deserves your consideration? Listed here are just some causes:
- Wealthy chocolate indulgence. This dessert is a real winner for any chocolate lover. The filling is ALL fudgy, buttery, cocoa-infused goodness. No frills. Simply pure and easy chocolate perfection.
- Gooey, fudgy texture. Image the proper brownie with that impossible to resist gooey, melt-in-your-mouth heart. Now think about a whole pie whose filling is JUST that. And sure, it’s all nestled in a fantastically buttery, flaky crust. Pure dessert heaven!
- A hug of nostalgia. This isn’t simply any pie. It’s a timeless Southern traditional that brings again all the nice feels. Each slice is a comforting style of custom…the form of old-school allure that makes you’re feeling immediately at house. You recognize what I imply?
Substances and Notes
Right here’s what you’ll must make this chocolate chess pie. Make sure you scroll to the recipe card under for exact measurements.
- Chilly unsalted butter and Chilly water – Relating to the crust, these elements are tremendous vital to maintain chilly if you would like a flakey crust. The chilly butter creates pocked throughout the crust that flip into the area between your flakey layers when it bakes. If the butter will get to heat and melts earlier than you bake the crust, you lose the flakiness. So maintain the butter and water chilly
- Cocoa powder – Make sure you sift it so that you don’t find yourself with clumps of cocoa powder.
- Cornstarch and Massive eggs – The cornstarch works with the eggs for thickening this pie filling.
- Complete milk – I examined a number of milk choices on this pie and complete milk gave the perfect outcomes and the perfect crust that kinds on high of the pie. Different varieties of milk created a thicker high crust layer.
Methods to Make a Chocolate Chess Pie
Bought all of your elements? It’s time to get to work! Right here’s a basic overview of the way to make this chocolate chess pie. You’ll discover extra detailed directions within the recipe card under.
Make the crust
Pulse 3/4 cups of flour and the salt a few instances in a meals processor. Add the butter and course of till a crumbly dough kinds.
Add the remaining cup of flour and pulse a number of instances till every part is evenly distributed. The doughy items ought to break up and it ought to look sandy.
No meals processor? No downside.
Making pie crust is SO straightforward with a meals processor, however you too can make this dough by hand! Simply minimize the cubed butter into the flour combination till the biggest items of butter remaining are about pea-sized. Then add the water and proceed with the remainder of the directions.
Switch the dough to a bowl and blend in 2 tablespoons of the ice water. Hold including extra water (1 tablespoon at a time) till the dough holds collectively when pinched.
Switch the dough to a chunk of parchment paper and work it right into a ball. Then, form it right into a dish, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill within the fridge for not less than 1 hour.
Place the dough on a chunk of parchment paper, cowl with one other piece of parchment paper, and roll the dough out right into a circle.
Peel one piece of the parchment paper off, drape the crust over a pie plate, and peel the opposite piece of parchment off. Form the crust and use a fork to poke holes within the backside. Freeze the crust for 10-Quarter-hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the crust with parchment paper, urgent it flush towards the crust. Fill with pie weights (or rice).
Bake for 20-25 minutes or till the crust simply begins to brown and is ready.
Bake the pie
Whisk collectively the sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch.
Lower the butter into slices, add a splash of milk, and microwave to soften. Combine collectively the eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla.
Add the dry elements to the moist elements and whisk till effectively mixed.
Fill the crust with filling, and bake for 50-60 minutes. Let the pie cool to room temperature, then serve, or refrigerate till able to serve.
This pie is simply as glorious served chilled as it’s at room temperature. It’s a little bit softer and barely extra gooey (however undoubtedly not too gooey) at room temperature, and firmer when chilly. What’s your fave?
Bake With Success
- Hold issues chilly. Not solely do you wish to begin with COLD butter, however you wish to maintain it as chilly as attainable up till you pop the crust within the oven to par-bake (that is what provides you your flakey layers, as talked about above). So that you additionally wish to use ice-cold water.
- Don’t over-handle the dough. The warmth out of your fingers will soften the butter, so deal with the dough as little as attainable.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Whether or not it’s within the meals processor, within the mixing bowl, or with the rolling pin, overworking the dough could cause the glutens within the flour to overdevelop, leading to a troublesome, dense crust. So take heed to this as you’re employed by way of the recipe.
- Consistency test. You’ll know your dough is able to kind right into a disk and chill if you pinch some and it holds collectively. If the dough falls aside, combine in 1/2-1 extra tablespoon of water and do the pinch check once more. Repeat as wanted. Take into account that you don’t wish to add an excessive amount of water or the crust will likely be exhausting handy and never maintain it’s form within the pie plate as effectively.
- Poke holes. Use a fork to poke holes within the pie crust earlier than you par-bake it. This can assist stop the dough from puffing up within the oven.
- Blind bake with pie weights. Or dry beans or rice. This prevents the crust from puffing up and/or shrinking within the oven, guaranteeing a fair, sturdy base in your filling.
- Doneness test. My oven takes care of this pie in 55 minutes, however ovens may be finicky, and yours may want a bit roughly time. So test on it each 5 minutes beginning at about 45 minutes. You’ll know your pie is finished when the middle has risen, a crust has shaped on high, and the filling is ready with a slight jiggle.
- Pie defend. In case your crust is browning too shortly, add a pie crust defend about midway by way of the baking time.
Methods to Retailer a Chess Pie
- Fridge. As soon as cool, wrap the pie in a double layer of plastic wrap or prepare slices in a single layer in an hermetic container. It’ll maintain within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
- Freezer. Wrap the totally cooled pie in a double layer of plastic wrap. In any other case, prepare slices in a single layer in an hermetic, freezer-safe container. You can too pop slices within the freezer for a few hours to agency up after which wrap every in a double layer of plastic wrap. In any case, chocolate chess pie will maintain within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Enable it to thaw within the fridge earlier than serving.
Chocolate Chess Pie
Chocolate lovers, prepare! This chocolate chess pie, with its unforgettable, fudgy filling and flaky, buttery crust, is a traditional Southern consolation that can transport you straight to dessert heaven.
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Make the crust
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Add 3/4 cups (98g) flour and salt to a big meals processor and pulse collectively 2 to three instances. Scatter the cubed butter over the flour and course of till a crumbly dough kinds, about 15 seconds. The flour ought to all be coated – not one of the flour must be dry.
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Add the remaining 1/2 cup (65g) of flour and pulse a number of instances till every part is evenly distributed. The doughy items ought to break up and it ought to look sandy. There shouldn’t be a bunch of huge items remaining. Just a few are high quality, nevertheless it must be principally evenly distributed.
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Transfer the combination to a medium mixing bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the ice water. Begin with 2 tablespoons and add from there. Utilizing a rubber spatula, gently fold every part collectively. The crumbs ought to start to kind bigger clusters. In case you pinch a few of the dough and it holds collectively properly, it’s prepared. If the dough falls aside, add 1 extra tablespoon of water and proceed to press till dough comes collectively.
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Pour the dough out onto a chunk of parchment paper and work simply sufficient for it to come back collectively and kind a ball. Form right into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for not less than an hour or as much as 2 days.
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When able to make the crust, place the pie crust onto a chunk of parchment paper. You possibly can add a contact of flour should you like, however you don’t should. Cowl the crust with one other piece of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin.
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Peel one piece of the parchment paper off and use the opposite piece of parchment to carry the pie crust and drape it over the pie plate. Fastidiously peel off the second piece of parchment paper, then form your pie crust.
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Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Freeze the pie crust for 10-Quarter-hour, then line the pie crust with parchment paper. Ensure the parchment paper presses all the best way towards the crust in order that it’s flush. Fill the pie crust with pie weights, rice or beans.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes, or till the crust simply begins to brown.
Bake the pie
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Whereas the crust bakes, make the filling. Mix the sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch in a big bowl. Put aside.
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Lower the butter into slices and put it right into a small bowl. Add a little bit of the milk to it, then warmth within the microwave till melted. Watch it carefully.
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Add the eggs, melted butter, milk and vanilla extract to a different medium sized bowl and whisk collectively till effectively mixed.
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Add the moist elements to the dry elements and gently stir collectively till effectively mixed.
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Take away crust from oven, take away the pie weights and pour the filling into the recent crust.
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Bake for 50-60 minutes (55 was good for me), or till a crust has shaped on high, the pie has risen and is ready. It might jiggle a little bit bit if you shake it, nevertheless it must be set. Add a pie crust defend about half means by way of, if wanted, to maintain the crust from browning an excessive amount of.
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Let the pie cool to room temperature, then serve, or refrigerate till able to serve.
Serving: 1sliceEnergy: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 43.4gProtein: 3.8gFats: 13.1gLdl cholesterol: 77.3mgSodium: 123.3mgSugar: 30g
The diet details supplied are calculated utilizing a third-party instrument and are estimates solely. Precise dietary content material could fluctuate primarily based on the elements and types you employ, in addition to portion sizes. For correct outcomes, please seek the advice of a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
