Chocolate Illusion Pie

Some of my fondest memories of eating out as a teenager include trips to Fat Apples in Berkeley. Fat Apples is basic comfort food at its finest. Nothing spectacular exactly - the menu hasn't changed in eons - just good food prepared well. You always know what to expect when you go there. And you are never disappointed.




One of their menu items, however, does inspire cravings.... Chocolate Velvet Pie! It is a pie like no other chocolate pie that I have ever eaten. When I reminisce with friends about it their eyes glaze over like an old fashioned glazed donut and they gaze away wistfully, lick their lip and softly bite their lower lip in desire. Let me explain what this pie is like - it looks like a chocolate pudding pie. It is most decidedly NOT. It is light and dense simultaneously. It is rich, creamy and intense. It is mousse-like yet not. The crust is buttery and crisp - a perfect container that doesn't compete.



One of the things I enjoy is taking something I have tasted and trying to recreate it at home...but changing it up to make it mine. I think my version is very similar to Fat Apples - but perhaps a little lighter. My Chocolate Illusion Pie combines the basics of Julia Childs Chocolate Mousse minus the whipped cream. I increased the egg whites to make up the volume difference. I also added finely ground coffee that I boiled in Illusion from Amista Vineyards. Encased in a buttery flaky golden brown crust. Enjoy with a rich demitasse of espresso or petite glass of Illusion.



Chocolate Illusion Pie
equipment you will need: Cuisinart or pastry blender, large workbowl (preferably pyrex), rolling pin, pie dish, rubber spatula.



Crust
(Makes enough for two pies or one double crust pie)

3 Cups of white pastry flour sifted
1 cup of unsalted butter
1teaspoon of kosher salt
1/4 cup ice water in which 1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of vinegar have been blended

1. cut cold butter into small dice. Keep chilled.
2. Fit your cuisinart with the blade attachment. Measure flour and salt into the workbowl and add half of the butter cubes. Pulse to blend. Add the remaining butter and pulse until it is incorporated - don't overblend you don't want the butter to heat up.
3. Pour butter/flour mixture into large workbowl and get out your wooden spoon. Slowly add the icewater mixture and blend with spoon until it holds together and is just a little bit wet.
4. Divide into two balls and pat out on floured board into two 6 inch circles about an inch thick. Wrap each in saran wrap and place in the refridgerator for about 20 minutes.
   Preheat oven to 400
5. Remove one circle of dough and place on floured board. Roll out into a circle large enough to fit with an inch overhang in your pie dish. Gently place dough in pie dish and crimp as usual.
6. Since you are baking blind - dock the bottom of the dough to prevent puffing. Place a square of tin foil in the pie and weight with beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove beans and tinfoil and continue to bake for another 20 - 30 minutes until golden. Check about every ten minutes to prevent overbrowning.
7. Remove and cool.
   

Now you are ready to start on the filling.

Filling
12 oz. good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon finely ground coffee
1/2 cup Illusion from Amista Vineyards (or good port)
1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla
8 egg whites
4 egg yolks

1. Pour the Illusion into a small saucepan and add the finely ground coffee. Reduce over heat to half. Set aside.
2. In the top of a double boiler place the chocolate chips, 4 egg yolks, vanilla and the reduced coffee/illusion mixture.
3. Heat over boiling water until all the ingredients are incorporated into the chocolate. Continue to cook the custard for another 2 - 3 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
4. Meanwhile - beat the eight egg whites to soft peaks. When the chocolate mixture is cooled (still warm and liquid but not boiling hot) fold about 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate custard to lighten. Continue to fold in the whites to the chocolate until all is incorporated.
5. Pour chocolate filling into the cooled crust and place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

When chilled cut into servings - a trick I learned - have hot water available to dip your knife between cuts to get a cleaner serving. I like to serve this pie with softly whipped cream and a single chocolate leaf.