Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour (chilled)
  • 1 tsp Granulated Sugar (for crust)
  • ¼ tsp Fine Sea Salt (for crust)
  • ½ cup Unsalted Butter (cubed, well chilled)
  • 4 – 6 Tbsp Ice Water
  • 8 oz High-Quality Dark Chocolate (55% to 65% cacao, finely chopped)
  • 1 cup Whole Milk
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream
  • ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (for filling)
  • ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt (for filling)
  • 4 Large Egg Yolks (at room temperature)
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Dough: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor (or large bowl). Pulse in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
  2. Hydrate: Drizzle in 4 tablespoons of ice water, pulsing until the dough just starts to come together. If too dry, add remaining water one tablespoon at a time. Do not overmix.
  3. Chill: Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in cling film, and chill for at least 60 minutes.
  4. Roll and Fit: Roll the chilled dough to an 11-inch circle and gently place it into the 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges. Prick the bottom generously with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes.
  5. Blind Bake Preparation: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the frozen crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or rice.
  6. Blind Bake: Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until the crust is dry and lightly golden. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
  7. Heat Liquids: Combine milk, cream, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until steaming and the sugar is dissolved, but do not boil. Remove from heat.
  8. Melt Chocolate: Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate, let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk gently until completely smooth and emulsified.
  9. Prepare Tempering Base: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth.
  10. Temper the Eggs (Crucial Step): Slowly whisk about 1 cup (240ml) of the warm chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture to slowly raise the temperature of the yolks.
  11. Combine: Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining chocolate mixture, whisking constantly until fully combined. Strain the filling through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the prepared pie shell.
  12. Bake the Pie: Carefully place the pie plate into the preheated 325°F (160°C) oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  13. Doneness Test: The pie is done when the edges look set and slightly puffed, but the centre 2 inches still have a gentle jiggle when nudged.
  14. Cool: Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature (about 2 hours).
  15. Chill: Transfer the pie to the refrigerator and chill uncovered for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until fully set.
  16. Whip Topping (Optional): Just before serving, whisk 1 cup cold heavy cream, 2 Tbsp icing sugar, and ½ tsp vanilla until medium-to-stiff peaks form.
  17. Serve: Top the chilled Chocolate Pie with the whipped cream and slice sharply.