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Black Bottom Pie

Source of Recipe

From "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea" by Martha Hall Foose


Recipe Introduction

"This pie is more requested for birthdays than cake in my family. A ginger crumb crust with strata of dark chocolate and rum layers topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings is an ideal way to say 'Happy Birthday' to the men in your life."

List of Ingredients

Crust:
â—¦ 1 ½ cups gingersnap crumbs
â—¦ ¼ cup granulated sugar
â—¦ 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
â—¦ 2 cups whole milk
â—¦ ½ vanilla bean, split
â—¦ 1 cup granulated sugar
â—¦ 4 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
â—¦ 4 large egg yolks, beaten
â—¦ 1 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons brandy
â—¦ 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin, sprinkled over ¼ cup cold water
â—¦ 4 large egg whites
â—¦ ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
â—¦ â…› teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ cup heavy cream
â—¦ 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
â—¦ ½ ounce semisweet chocolate


Recipe

Make the crust:
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Combine the crumbs, granulated sugar, and butter in a bowl. Pat the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust bubbles slightly and is puffed. Set aside to cool.

Make the filling:
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk and vanilla bean just to a simmer. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the granulated sugar and the cornstarch. Add the egg yolks and whisk until there are no lumps. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk, rinse, and reserve for another use. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over very low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the mixture boils for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Remove 1 cup of the custard to a small bowl. Add the unsweetened chocolate and vanilla extract to the small bowl of custard. Pour this chocolate custard into the cooled baked pie crust. Mix the brandy and softened gelatin into the remaining custard. Cool the saucepan of brandy custard in an ice bath.

In an electric mixer, whip the egg whites at low speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar. With the mixer running, add the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and the salt. Once all of the sugar has been added, increase the speed and whip the whites until they hold stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the cooled brandy custard. Smooth the mixture over the chocolate layer in the pie.

Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar until the cream holds soft peaks. Spoon it in big dollops over the brandy layer. Shave, or grate, the semisweet chocolate over the top. Refrigerate for 3 hours, or until set.

Makes one 9-inch pie
(Serves 8)