Recipe: The Pie Hole’s Spiced Hot Chocolate Pie

This recipe draws its inspiration from a tasting that The Pie Hole had for family and friends before their first bakeshop opened in Los Angeles’ Arts District. A Mexican restaurant had heard about the new pie shop and asked the founders to consider developing a pie for them, says Rebecca Grasley, Pie Hole co-founder and author of new “Pie is Messy” cookbook (Ten Speed Press, $28).

“So we got to thinking: How could we incorporate Mexican flavors and ingredients into a pie? That collaboration ultimately never happened, but we got our wonderful spiced chocolate pie,” she writes.

The bakery version uses a chocolate ganache filling spiked with pasilla peppers and cinnamon, but this home cook-friendly version from the new cookbook uses a vanilla pudding mixed with cinnamon-spiced chocolate.

Spiced Hot Chocolate Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

INGREDIENTS

1⁄2 recipe Moe’s Piecrust

Filling:

4 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons salted butter

4 egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Pinch of kosher salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 ounces Abuelita brand chocolate (about 2½ triangles)

Espresso whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon instant espresso

Chocolate curls for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out the crust and transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan. Use the tines of a fork to poke holes in the bottom and sides, which will keep the crust from bubbling. Trim and flute the edges, then bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.

To make the filling: In a saucepan, warm the milk and butter over medium heat until the butter
melts.

In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in a few splashes of the warm milk to temper the eggs, then pour the mixture into the pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and continue to boil, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the pudding thickens. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes.

Pour the pudding into the cooled piecrust and cool on a wire rack for 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours more.

To make the espresso whipped cream: Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the cream until it starts to thicken. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks. Add the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and espresso powder and continue to beat until stiff, but not grainy.

Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of the whipped cream.

— Rebecca Grasley, “Pie is Messy” (Ten Speed Press, $28).