California Black Bottom Pie Recipes

BLACK BOTTOM PIE

Steps:

• To make the crust: Lightly butter a 10-inch pie plate. On a lightly floured board, roll out the half of the pate brisee to a 1/8-inch thickness (unused dough can be wrapped and plastic and stored in the refrigerator or freezer). Place the dough in the pie plate, and press it into the bottom edges and along the sides. Trim the dough using scissors or a sharp paring knife. Crimp or decorate the edges of the crust if desired. Chill crust for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Carefully line the pie plate with parchment paper, gently pressing the parchment into the edges of the crust; weigh down parchment with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until edges of pastry begin to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove pie weights and parchment paper. Continue to bake until crust is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer the crust to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the filling: Prepare an ice-water bath. In the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt chocolate; set aside. Place 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl, and sprinkle gelatin over it; set aside to soften.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and the cornstarch; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine milk and 1/4 cup sugar. Bring just to a boil. Add about one-quarter of the hot-milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until combined. Return egg-milk mixture to saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat when mixture has boiled and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Measure out 1 cup of custard, and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla to it, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Transfer the bowl to the ice-water bath to cool completely. When cool, spread evenly in the bottom of the pie crust. Transfer pie crust to refrigerator until set, about 5 minutes. Add softened gelatin to remaining custard. Transfer pan to the ice-water bath to cool until just beginning to set.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whipped egg whites into custard to lighten. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites and rum. Spread over chocolate layer. Refrigerate pie for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Spread over custard or pipe on top with a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top. Chill until ready to serve.

MARSHMALLOW BLACK-BOTTOM PIE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Combine flour, butter, vegetable shortening, sugar and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball. Flatten into disk. Wrap dough disk in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13- to 14-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish. Fold dough edge over and crimp decoratively, securing dough edge to rim of dish. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze crust 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles or slips, about 30 minutes. Transfer crust to rack and cool.
• For filling:
• Whisk sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Add egg yolks, milk and cream; whisk until smooth. Whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate, butter and vanilla and whisk until melted and smooth. Pour filling into crust. Cool on rack.
• For marshmallow topping:
• Place 1 tablespoon water in small cup; sprinkle unflavored gelatin over. Place cup in small skillet; add enough water to skillet to reach depth of 1/2 inch.
• Whisk sugar, corn syrup and 1/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Attach candy thermometer to side of pan. Boil without stirring until candy thermometer registers 240°F. While continuing to boil syrup, beat egg whites in large bowl with mixer until stiff peaks form. When thermometer in syrup registers 248°F, slowly beat hot syrup into egg whites. Continue to beat until whites are stiff and glossy, about 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Bring water in skillet to simmer. Stir gelatin mixture in cup until gelatin dissolves. Gradually pour gelatin over egg whites and beat until topping is cool, about 8 minutes. Using rubber spatula, gently spread topping over filling, making decorative peaks. Preheat broiler. Broil pie just until topping is light brown, about 1 minute. Chill pie 1 hour. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before serving.)

CHOCOLATE BLACK-BOTTOM PIE

Steps:

• In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave 1 1/4 cups cream until hot, about 3 minutes. Add chocolate and let stand until melted, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk to combine, then whisk in rum. Pour 1 1/2 cups chocolate mixture into crust (reserve remaining chocolate mixture). Sprinkle nuts over top. Refrigerate pie 3 hours (or up to 2 days).
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 2 cups cream with sugar on high until stiff peaks form, 2 minutes. Top pie with whipped cream, then dot with reserved chocolate mixture. With a skewer, gently swirl chocolate through whipped cream.

BLACK BOTTOM OATMEAL PIE

Steps:

• For the crust:
• 1. Stir the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the butter pieces and coat with the flour mixture using a bench scraper or spatula. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture, working quickly until mostly pea-size pieces of butter remain (a few larger pieces are okay; be careful not to overblend).
• 2. Combine the water, cider vinegar, and ice in a large measuring cup or small bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water mixture over the flour mixture, and mix and cut it in with a bench scraper or spatula until it is fully incorporated. Add more of the ice water mixture, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, using the bench scraper or your hands (or both) to mix until the dough comes together in a ball, with some dry bits remaining. Squeeze and pinch with your fingertips to bring all of the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of the ice water mixture, if necessary, to combine. Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, to give the crust time to mellow.
• 3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to form a round that is 2 to 3 inches larger than your pan, and about 1/8 inch in thickness. Transfer dough to pie pan and trim overhang to 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Transfer to freezer for 20 minutes. Position racks in bottom and middle racks and preheat over to 425°F. When crust has been in freezer for 10 minutes, remove and line it tightly with aluminum foil.
• 4. Pour the pie weights or beans into the pan and spread them so they are concentrated more around the edge of the shell than in the center. Place the pan on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until the crimped edges are set but not browned. Remove the pan and the baking sheet from the oven, lift out the foil and pie weights, and let the crust cool for a minute. Use a pastry brush to coat the bottom and sides with a thin layer of egg white glaze to moistureproof the crust. Return the pan, on the baking sheet, to the oven's middle rack and continue baking for 3 more minutes. Remove and cool completely before filling.
• For the filling:
• 5. Reduce the oven to 350°F. Spread the oats on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
• 6. To make the ganache layer, bring the heavy cream just to a boil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Remove from the heat and pour in the chocolate pieces. Swirl the cream around to distribute and cover the chocolate; let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk gently until smooth. Scrape the ganache into the cooled pie shell and spread evenly over the bottom. Place the shell in the freezer to set the ganache while making the filling.
• 7. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, ginger, salt, and melted butter. Add the corn syrup, vanilla, and cider vinegar and whisk to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Stir in the cooled oats.
• 8. Place the ganache-coated pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet and pour in the filling. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 55 minutes, rotating 180 degrees when the edges start to set, 30 to 35 minutes through baking. The pie is finished when the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center is slightly firm to the touch but still has some give (like gelatin). Allow to cool completely on a wire rack, 2 to 3 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

BLACK-BOTTOM PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until the crust is set and begins to turn golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make the filling: Sift together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt into a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until almost boiling. Reduce heat to medium; add the chocolate. Cook, stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in the butter and vanilla until smooth. Spread the chocolate mixture over the crust. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.
• Make the topping: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Let stand until soft, about 3 minutes. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and the salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and boiling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the gelatin mixture, and let cool completely. Stir in the vanilla and rum. Briefly place the pan in the ice-water bath to thicken slightly, if needed. Do not let it set completely. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-low speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low; continue beating while you make the syrup.
• Bring the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Cook, without stirring, until the syrup registers 240°F on a candy thermometer.
• Raise the mixer speed to high, and beat the egg whites just until stiff peaks begin to form. Immediately pour the syrup into the egg whites in a slow, steady stream near the side of the bowl, avoiding the whisk (it might splatter). Beat until glossy and cooled, about 7 minutes.
• Fold the meringue mixture into the reserved gelatin mixture in 3 batches until just combined. Mound the mixture into the chocolate-filled crust. Refrigerate the pie for 2 1/2 hours or overnight before serving.

BLACK-BOTTOM PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until crust is set and begins to turn golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make the filling: Sift together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt into a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until almost boiling. Reduce heat to medium; add chocolate. Cook, stirring constantly, until chocolate has melted and mixture is thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla until smooth. Spread chocolate mixture over crust. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 1 hour.
• Make the topping: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Let stand until soft, about 3 minutes. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and boiling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin mixture, and let cool completely. Stir in vanilla and rum. Briefly place pan in an ice-water bath to thicken slightly, if needed. Do not let it set completely. Set aside.
• Put egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low; continue beating while you make syrup.
• Bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Brush down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Cook, without stirring, until syrup registers 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Raise mixer speed to high, and beat egg whites just until stiff peaks begin to form. Immediately pour syrup into egg whites in a slow, steady stream near side of bowl, avoiding whisk. Beat until glossy and cooled, about 7 minutes.
• Fold meringue mixture into reserved gelatin mixture in 3 batches until just combined. Mound the mixture into the chocolate-filled crust. Refrigerate pie for 2 1/2 hours or overnight before serving.