Chocolate Pinyon (Pine Nut) Pie
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A dense chocolate pie
Author:
Recipe type: Pie
Cuisine: Southwest US
Serves: 6-8 slices
Ingredients
  • For the Graham Cracker-Almond Crust:
  • 1 cup gluten-free graham cracker crumbs or regular graham cracker crumbs
  • heaping ½ cup sliced Fisher almonds
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ cup butter or Earth Balance vegan butter, melted and cooled
  • For the Chocolate Filling:
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon + ½ teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup milk (any kind, I used unsweetened almond milk)
  • 3oz dark chocolate chips
  • 1-1/2oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional toppings: whipped cream (see notes) and berries
Instructions
  1. For the Graham Cracker-Almond Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add sliced almonds to a food processor then process into fine crumbs. Add to a medium-sized bowl with graham cracker crumbs and sugar then mix well to combine. Add butter then mix well to combine. Pour mixture into a 9" pie pan or tart pan then press into an even layer on the bottom and slightly up the sides. Poke the bottom with a fork then bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. If crust has puffed up too much in the center after baking, use the bottom of a measuring cup to gently press it back down. Set aside to cool.
  2. For the chocolate filling: Add chocolate chips, most of the pine nuts (reserve rest to sprinkle on top) and vanilla to a medium-sized bowl then place a fine mesh sieve on top and set aside. Add egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa powder to another medium-sized bowl then whisk until smooth. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to simmer then pour half of it into the egg yolk mixture while whisking vigorously. Turn the heat to low then pour the egg yolk/milk mixture back into the saucepan and whisk to combine. Switch to a spatula then cook until filling has thickened, 1 minute.
  3. Pour filling into the fine mesh sieve set atop the bowl of chocolate chips then press with a spatula to strain out any pieces of cooked egg. Stir until chocolate chips have melted then pour filling into the crust and smooth the top. Let cool for 10 minutes at room temperature, sprinkle with remaining pine nuts, then cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Slice, then serve with whipped cream and berries if desired.
Recipe by People, Places and Pies at https://peopleplacespies.com/eating-pie-in-abiquiu-new-mexico-chocolate-pinyon-pie/