I’m sure you’ve seen the “mind blown” meme of a piece of paper with “3.14″ written on it and its mirror image: “PIE.” The truth is that any excuse will do to throw a pie party, though perhaps I do need a yearly reminder to put pie on the table since I definitely do not make it often enough.
2 years ago for Pi Day, I was a little snarky with my admission, submitting Whoopie Pies. 3.14 of them, to be exact. Which conveniently also worked as a shamrock, pulling double dessert duty that month. This time, I’ve decided to go a more traditional route. Something a little more sophisticated, while still capturing the essence of the occasion. Something like a chocolate tart. An Irish Coffee Chocolate Tart, to be exact.
Since I still have an irrational fear of working with pie dough, I fashioned my tart with a pre-made, deep dish, frozen pie crust. This meant that I also was stuck with the shape of the tin it came in, as I was baking at 6AM. I don’t think my boss would accept “I was waiting for pie dough to become malleable” as an excuse for being late for work.
In spite of the more pie-like presentation–which lends itself better to the holiday anyway–this is high class all the way. A layer of rich, chocolatey filling kissed with Irish cream, topped with cocoa coffee whipped cream–and a dash of Irish whiskey to boot! Delicious! A small serving will do–it’s very filling–but that just means you can share more love. That’s what Pi Day is all about, right? No? I wasn’t very good at math, so what do I know?
- 1 frozen pie crust (or 1 layer of your favorite crust)
- 1½ cups bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ⅓ cup Irish cream liqueur
- 2 large eggs
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- Dash salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Irish whiskey
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pie crust in pie plate on a rimmed cookie sheet and poke holes in the bottom to allow steam to escape. If you have pie weights, it’s also a good idea to line the crust with parchment paper and place them in the crust to keep it from puffing up too much.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until very lightly golden. Remove and let cool.
- Dump the chocolate chips in a large microwavable bowl and heat in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Let cool for 3 minutes.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk, Irish cream, and eggs, and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Pour into the prepared pie crust and spread evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 degrees and bake for another 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on the crust: if it looks like it’s browning too much, cover with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil.
- Remove from oven when no longer jiggly in the middle. Let cool completely, then put in the refrigerator for 2 hours to chill.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream and instant espresso powder. Let sit for a few minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and beat with a hand mixer until thickened and spreadable. (Be careful not to overbeat like I did.)
- Spread over the top of the pie.
- Cut into slices and top with freshly whipped cream. Find your bliss!
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7 comments
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Kate | Food Babbles
14 March, 2013 at 9:00 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Oh now that sounds goooood! I’d love to grab a fork and dig in. Yum!
Kate | Food Babbles recently posted..Blood Orange Almond Tart
Donna @ What the Dog Ate
14 March, 2013 at 11:58 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Oh yum! I love pie. And pi!
Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)
15 March, 2013 at 3:23 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m seeing Irish cream everywhere but have yet to sample it myself. Sounds amazing!
Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine) recently posted..Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Guinness Pot Au Creme
Hannah
18 March, 2013 at 4:37 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hi
I saw your lovely looking pie, from Tastespotting. Just one question; what kind of size pieshell did you use?
Carrie @ poet in the pantry
18 March, 2013 at 7:11 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thank you! It was a 9-inch deep dish pie shell. Hope this helps!
Jeff
25 March, 2013 at 1:29 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Crap!! I totally forgot to do something for pi day! How could I forget? What a nightmare! Your pie looks absolutely delicious though, and right in time with St. Paddy’s day as well!
Jeff recently posted..Banana Bread
Carrie @ poet in the pantry
27 March, 2013 at 10:11 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I almost forgot, so don’t feel bad. I don’t know how it managed to almost get past me, but it did. At least it was able to do double duty. Thanks!