Ingredients
For the Crust
- 24 chocolate wafer cookies (like Nabisco Famous Wafers)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- A pinch of kosher salt
For the Filling
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao), finely chopped
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
For the Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream, very cold
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate shavings, for garnish
Make and Bake the Crust
Preheat your oven to 350F.
In a food processor, pulse the chocolate wafer cookies until they are fine, uniform crumbs. Add the melted butter and a pinch of salt and pulse until the mixture looks like damp sand.
Press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to pack it tightly; this is key to a crust that doesn’t crumble.
Bake for 10 minutes. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack. The crust must be at room temperature before you add the filling.
Cook the Custard Filling
Fill a medium saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs and granulated sugar together. Place the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Whisk constantly until the mixture is pale, has thickened, and an instant-read thermometer registers 160F. This process cooks the eggs safely and can take ~8-10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat.
Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, whip the hot egg mixture on high speed for ~4-5 minutes, until it has cooled and is thick and ribbony.
Melt the Chocolate and Combine
While the eggs are whipping, place the butter, heavy cream, and chopped chocolate in another heatproof bowl. Set this bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and let it sit, stirring occasionally, until everything is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and wipe the bottom of the bowl completely dry; any water that gets into the chocolate can cause it to seize.
Stir the vanilla, rum, and espresso powder into the melted chocolate mixture.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs and fold gently with a spatula until just combined and no streaks remain.
Fill, Chill, and Serve
Pour the truffle filling into the completely cooled crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate the pie for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight. It needs this time to set up properly.
Just before serving, make the topping. In a cold bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled pie and garnish with chocolate shavings. Let the pie sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before slicing to soften slightly for the best flavor and texture.
Chocolate Truffle Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 24 chocolate wafer cookies like Nabisco Famous Wafers
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- A pinch of kosher salt
For the Filling
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate 60-70% cacao, finely chopped
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
For the Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream very cold
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Pulse the chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely ground, then mix with the melted butter and salt until sandy.
- Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie plate, using a measuring cup to pack it down.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.
- Simmer 1 inch of water in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl over the simmering water until pale and thick (160F), about 8-10 minutes.
- Beat the hot egg mixture with a mixer for 4-5 minutes until cooled and ribbony.
- Melt the butter, cream, and chocolate in another bowl over the simmering water until smooth.
- Stir the vanilla, rum, and espresso powder into the melted chocolate mixture.
- Fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs until just combined.
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Beat the cold cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Top the chilled pie with the whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
- Let stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.
