Amandas Espresso Chocolate Pie Recipes

ESPRESSO CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in milk and 2 tablespoons espresso powder, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, about 7 minutes total (about 2 minutes after it comes to a boil).
• Whisk yolks in a medium bowl until combined. Pour in milk mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking until completely incorporated. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it returns to a boil, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in coffee liqueur and vanilla. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until butter melts before adding next piece. Let custard cool in saucepan on a wire rack, whisking occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
• Pour custard into chocolate-wafer crust. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of custard. Refrigerate until custard filling is chilled and firm, at least 4 hours (or overnight).
• With a flat side of a chef's knife, crush espresso beans, 1 at a time. Reserve 1 tablespoon larger espresso-bean pieces.
• Whisk together cream, confectioners sugar, and remaining teaspoon espresso powder until stiff peaks form. Fold small espresso-bean pieces into whipped cream mixture, and decoratively spread over pie. Sprinkle with reserved espresso-bean pieces, and serve immediately.

AMANDA'S ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
• Stir graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Add melted butter, using your fingers to combine until moistened. Pat the mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan. Place the pan onto a cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Place chopped chocolate and butter for the ganache in a glass or metal bowl over simmering water; stir occasionally as it begins to melt. When almost melted, slowly add cream and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and completely melted. Pour ganache into the crust; spread evenly and set aside.
• Stir clear vanilla extract into whipping cream in a bowl. Sift in powdered sugar and beat using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Reserve 1 1/2 cups whipped cream for filling; refrigerate the rest until needed.
• Beat cream cheese in another bowl until smooth. Add milk and brewed coffee gradually, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Turn off the mixer and use a whisk to combine smaller pieces of cream cheese with the milk.
• Combine pudding mix and ground coffee in a separate bowl; whisk into milk mixture. Whisk in reserved 1 1/2 cups of the whipped cream. Pour filling into a medium saucepan.
• Heat filling over medium-low heat. Whisk in beaten egg slowly; continue to whisk until you have a very thick custard, 7 to 10 minutes. Do not allow to stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat. Whisk pudding in the pan and run through a strainer into a bowl. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the pudding and refrigerate to cool, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Whisk pudding mixture again until smooth and pour into the pie shell on top of ganache. Top with remaining chilled whipped cream.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, to overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before ready to serve. Garnish with chocolate curls.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a small bowl. Put the cream and cane syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Pour over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute, and then gently stir with a whisk to blend. Scrape into the cooled pie crust and spread evenly. Freeze the ganache and crust while making the filling.
• Put the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, espresso powder, and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk until well blended. Pour in 2/3 cup of the milk, and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the yolks, and then the remaining milk.
• Set the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a whisk, until the mixture comes to a full boil. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, and then slide the pan off the heat. Add the butter and vanilla, and stir until the butter is melted and the pudding is smooth.
• Pour the filling over the chilled ganache layer, spread evenly, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, if you like. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, about 5 hours.
• Put the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed until smooth. Increase the speed to medium, and beat until the cream is thick and holds relaxed peaks.
• Peel off the plastic from the filling. Spread the topping over the filling, or drop in large dollops. If you like, sprinkle with cocoa powder, chocolate curls, or chocolate shards. Serve immediately, or cover loosely and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.