Quick Double Chocolate Pie

Quick double chocolate pie earns the ‘double’ in its name two ways: unsweetened chocolate melted into the base, plus a quarter cup of creme de cacao liqueur stirred in for an extra hit of cocoa-leaning sweetness. The result is somewhere between a brownie pie and a chocolate custard, with a fudgy interior that sets clean once cooled.

The technique is mercifully simple. Butter and chocolate melt together over low heat in a single saucepan, then sugar, eggs, liqueur, flour, vanilla, and salt all go in and beat smooth. Pour into a pre-baked nine-inch pie shell and bake until the center is just set, about thirty to thirty-five minutes. Watch the bake closely. Overbake by five minutes and the filling cracks like a lake bed.

The two tablespoons of flour are the structural workhorse. Just enough to bind the eggs into a custard, not so much that the slice tastes pasty. Cool the pie at least thirty minutes on a rack before slicing or the filling oozes; an hour gives you cleaner cuts. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a cloud of whipped cream is the right finish.

Pro Tips

• Pre-bake the pie shell to a light gold before filling. A raw shell turns soggy under the wet custard.
• Beat the filling smooth, but don’t whip air into it. Bubbles puff during baking and fall into ugly craters.
• Pull the pie when the center still has a slight wobble. It firms as it cools.
• Refrigerate leftovers covered. The filling deepens overnight and tastes even better day two.

Variations

• Swap creme de cacao for Frangelico or Kahlua for a hazelnut or coffee twist.
• Stir in a half cup of chocolate chips for molten pockets.
• Sprinkle the cooled pie with flaky sea salt and a drizzle of caramel sauce.