Over the holidays we have had a visit from skosh’s cousin Prang, a handsome fellow of about Skosh’s age and (oh, noes) disposition. It has been lively. At one point I decided to bake a pie for Solstice dinner and sat the boys in front of the television to watch a dvd titled “How to train your dragon”, a delightful and beautifully animated tale. Prang was so impressed that he demanded to be called ‘Toothless’, the name of the star of the film. Thus, the pie came to be called ‘Toothless’ Dark Chocolate Cream Pie’. The recipe follows. it is pretty much the same as any cream pie recipe, with just a few changes.
One baked and cooled 9″ pie shell
4 eggs, separated
1 c white sugar
1/4 c cornstarch
2 c half and half
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 c chocolate eggnog
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 four egg meringue (optional)
Since I use whipped cream for the top of the pie instead of the meringue, I brush the unbaked pie crust with part of the egg whites before baking. I cook the remaining egg whites and mix them with the dog’s food. Waste not, want not.
Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan and slowly mix in the half and half, chopped chocolate, and eggnog. Make sure it is well blended and not lumpy and yucky. Don’t worry about the chocolate, it will melt as the mixture cooks. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly, then slow down on the heat and cook and stir about 2 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and stir up the egg yolks with a fork. Add a portion of the mixture to the egg yolks and mix well. Add the egg mixture to the filling in the pan, mix, and bring back to a cautious soft boil, then reduce the heat again and cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat again and add butter and vanilla and mix well. Pour into the cooled pie shell and tell the boys that no, it isn’t ready, NO, IT IS NOT!!
Cool in the fridge for about 3 hours and top with cream to which you add a little vanilla, just a touch, and beat into stiff peaks.
If you want it to look better than mine does in the photo, you can crush a little of Riley’s toffee and sprinkle it on the top of the whipped cream. not a lot, and yes, it does have to be Riley’s toffee. I think the link is thatstoffee.com but don’t quote me. Best toffee on the planet. if you’re interested I can find out more.
This recipe will serve one contented dragon or two noisily squabbling ones. Keep an eye on them or they’ll breathe fire at each other over who got the biggest portion and no one will get any DO YOU HEAR ME, YOU TWO? DON’T MAKE ME COME IN THERE! Oh tktktktktk yourself, Skosh, I heard that.
Posted by Susan See strange stuff by Susan and Dennis at Galerie Yggdrasil
Cadog Blog 