This takes a bit of time, but the result is worth it. I once made this pie and, while bringing it to the dinner table, it slipped off its cake stand and smashed onto the floor. I looked down and realized, if I were alone, I wouldn’t be above licking it up.
The trick is to add Maldon sea salt flakes to the layer of chocolate before adding the whipping cream, of course you can also add a few flakes to the top of the chocolate shavings. It’s magical.
Ingredients
½ cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups whole milk
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Maldon sea salt flakes
Pastry
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
1 tablespoon cold butter, chilled
2 tablespoons ice-cold water, plus more if needed
Whipped Cream
2 cups 35% cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
To Finish
Dark chocolate shavings, preferably 70% cocoa
Maldon sea salt flakes
Preheat oven to 375°F.
For pastry, in food processor, combine flour, salt, shortening and butter. Pulse in a few-second increments until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of fat. Add ice-cold water and pulse just until dough begins to come together, adding a little more water if needed. Remove dough, shape into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
On lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a circle large enough to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Gently press pastry into pan, trim edges and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Line pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes, remove parchment and weights, and continue baking for 10–15 minutes until golden and fully cooked. Remove from oven and cool completely.
For chocolate filling, in medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour and fine sea salt. Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken.
In separate bowl, lightly beat egg yolks. Gradually whisk about ½ cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolks, then pour mixture back into saucepan. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and gently bubbling. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.
In small bowl, combine cocoa powder and melted butter to form a smooth paste. Add to hot custard along with softened butter and vanilla, whisking until completely smooth and glossy.
Pour chocolate filling into cooled pastry shell and smooth top. Cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until completely set. Then sprinkle lightly with Maldon sea salt flakes.
For whipped cream, in large bowl of your stand mixer, beat cream, vanilla and sifted icing sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. Spoon generously over chilled chocolate filling, creating soft, billowy peaks.
Finish with a generous mound of dark chocolate shavings and a delicate sprinkling of Maldon sea salt flakes just before serving.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serves 8.
