Triple-Layer Pumpkin-Chocolate Pie
"Pumpkin and chocolate do go well together. Labor-intensive. Chill time--at least 4 hours."
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 44mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
8
ingredients
- 1 (10 inch) graham cracker crust
-
Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 4 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (do not use lowfat or nonfat)
- 1 1⁄2 cups sugar, divided
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream (do not use lowfat or nofat)
directions
- Place the butter in the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water.
- When the butter is partially melted, add the chocolate.
- Heat for 5-7 minutes, or until melted; then whisk until smooth.
- Remove the top of the double boiler and set aside to partially cool.
- Add the cream cheese to a large bowl; cream using an electric mixer on medium speed, gradually adding in 1 1/4 cups sugar.
- Beat in the eggs, one at at time; then blend in the pumpkin, vanilla, spices, and salt until well blended.
- Pour slightly less than half of the filling into a separate bowl and stir in the melted chocolate until well blended.
- Poor the chocolate filling into the pie shell; gently shake the pan to settle the filling.
- Put the pie on the center rack of a 350°F oven; bake for 20 minutes; transfer to a wire rack and let cool 15 minutes.
- Gently ladle the remaining plain pumpkin filling over the cooled chocolate layer; shake the pan gently to settle the filling.
- Return to the oven, placing the pie so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces the front; bake 35-40 minutes or until the pumpkin layer is set (When done, the perimeter of the filling will have puffed some but not so much that it develops large cracks).
- Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool until the filling settles down and flattens--about 30-45 minutes.
- Combine the sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly for 2-4 minutes or until warmed.
- When the sour cream is fairly thin and slightly warmer than body temperature, carefully pour it over the top of the pie.
- Immediately shake and tilt the pie to cover it with the topping.
- Return the pie to the rack and let cool completely.
- Cover loosely with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Note--the chocolate layer is partially prebaked to maintain its integrity when the plain pumpkin layer is added; the prebaking firms up the chocolate and the short cool down allows a slight skin to form, which helps keep the pumpkin layer from sinking into the chocolate.To enhance the breakdown between layers, you might want to sprinkle a fairly dense layer of chopped walnuts or pecans over the chocolate as soon as the pie comes out of the oven, pressing them gently to embed them in the chocolate.
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Reviews
-
AMAZINGLY good! I made my own crust- 3/4 graham crackers, 1/4 gingersnaps. Heed the author's warning- these are definately time-intensive. Do not deviate from the cook and cool times or you run the risk of ruining the dish. -
I have made this recipe twice now, the end results is worth the labor.
