Each year on March 14, the world celebrates Pi Day in recognition of the date’s numerical resemblance to the famous irrational number. While this international holiday might be a cause to practice geometric proofs or buy some cheap pizza from Blaze to some, in my family, it gives us an excuse to make our most craved dessert: chocolate pie. 

In our house, chocolate pie has become a replacement for pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, a complement to cookies at Christmas and has even stood in for at least two birthday cakes. I cannot emphasize enough the chokehold this simple dessert has on our chocolate-crazed taste buds.

Made with a chilled chocolate mousse imbued with ground instant coffee, this chocolate pie is the perfect pick-me-up for a warm, spring day. It only takes nine ingredients and a few minutes of whisking in exchange for six large slices of heaven. 

Abigail Monti / Daily Nexus

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups butter
  • 4 to 8 tablespoons of ice water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons instant coffee
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted 

Directions:

  1. Heat the oven at 375 F.
  2. To make the dough, mix together the flour, salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add in ½ cup of diced butter, and mix with your hands until the dough is in pea-sized clumps. Add in 4 tablespoons of chilled water, and mix again. Continue adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough can be formed into a ball.
  3. Cover the ball of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or for up to two days.
  4. Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle. 
  5. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie dish, making sure the edges of the dough reach the edges of the dish, then pierce a few holes in the dough with a fork to allow for ventilation. Line the pie dough with parchment paper or aluminum foil, then press down with fingers until fitted to the pie dish. Place dried beans or rice on top of the layer of foil to prevent air bubbles.
  6. Bake the pie crust for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove the foil, let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to the fridge.
  7. In a large bowl, cream the remaining 3/4 cup of butter and 1 cup of sugar with an electric mixer or egg beater. Add in the vanilla extract, and mix again. Add in the eggs one by one, mixing at high speed for about two minutes after each one. Then add the instant coffee and melted chocolate. Mix until combined. 
  8. Pour the chocolate mousse into the baked pie crust, then store in the refrigerator until serving.

Whether made on Pi Day or any other day of the year, this chocolate pie recipe is sure to satisfy. 

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