Recipe Review #1 - espresso black-bottomed pie

espresso black-bottomed pie
in a chocolate chip cookie crust

Culinary Quests Review

In unforgettable desserts by Dede Wilson, the recipe that grabbed my attention was the cover photo: clementine-chocolate-almond torte with chocolate lace, candied zest, and caramelized fruit.  It was what I desired to make 1st in my Culinary Quest  adventure through the pages of this delightful cookbook.

However, upon reviewing the recipe, I felt I did not have the time to provide the deserved attention. After all it was not only Thanksgiving weekend, BUT in Kitchener, Ontario - the start of Oktoberfest!! I am an avid participant of Oktoberfest and due to fact that attending just for a few hours, always seems to get me home at 2 am, I decided I should choose a recipe that could be done in less time.

In choosing espresso black-bottomed pie in a chocolate chip cookie crust, I decided that I had most of the ingredients except for the specialty chocolate called for - bittersweet chocolate, such as Valrhona Caraibe, and instant espresso powder. How difficult could that be to find? Piece of cake - or pie, right? Well reality was harsh, as a simple quick trip to the few specialty stores in Kitchener found me lost and wondering why it was so difficult to find.

My first choice of stores to search was David's Gourmet  - which I had never ventured into before, but always wanted to explore. It is an amazing experience and also slightly overwhelming. I promptly found my way to the 'chocolate' section and did find  Valrhona chocolate hiding in a lower shelf and only 2 packages - eureka! But wait, it was not the correct Valrhona - Guanaja 70%, andJivara milk chocolate 40% - I took it anyway, as Caraibe was no where in sight! I did find Michel Cluizel (David's is one of the few vendor's in Canada) - Concepcion 66% Dark chocolate, and upon checking unforgettable desserts that I was carrying with me, verified it could also be used for this recipe.  I purchased all 3 packages - for about a total of $30.00 and total weight of 9.5 oz. I could not find the instant espresso powder, and was not sure where I would look next.

Upon reviewing my directory of baking supply stores for Kitchener Waterloo, my next stop was Ayres Baking Supplies in Waterloo. Again I had never ventured into this store, and found it to be a pre-packaged bulk baking supply store. There were several very interesting items, but no chocolate other than Lindt and Bakers chocolate. I did purchase a bag of all purpose flour and inadvertently grabbed the bleached rather than unbleached - the brand is unknown due to being a bulk store. 

I did ask the girl at the till where she thought I might find the instant espresso powder, and she suggested just using some strong brewed coffee - or maybe Vincenzo's she thought might carry it.

Off I went to Vincenzo's, in Kitchener - oh remember I mentioned that this weekend was the start of Oktoberfest in Kitchener? This brings into Kitchener, Waterloo and area an additional million people for the festivities, and each has 5 cars I am sure!! And they were all driving in the direction that I needed to go, to find my baking supplies. The additional cars on the road, made my 'quick jaunt to get baking supplies' turn into a 3 hour traffic fight.

BUT!! At Vincenzo's I did find the coveted Valrhona Caraibe, and plenty of it on the wondeful shelves, right beside the impossible to find instant espresso powder - even the suggested brand: Medaglia D'oro. Excellent!! Vincenzo's is a delightful store that wonderful food aromas entice you to linger, even though the current store is packed to overflowing and barely room for the many customers. They are moving into a new location, and many of the local residents are eagerly awaiting the opening.

This is the finished product. It looks good, and tasted even better. Since we took this to our Thanksgiving dinner in Chatham ( 2 hour road trip), I did the whipped topping once we arrived, rather than transport  with the whipped topping.

The crust before baking - it was easy to make, and finger press into the pie plate.

NOTE 1:

 I cannot obtain King Arthur  flour, as it is not carried in Canada - or at least I have not found a vendor as of yet. I used my regular flour which is Compliments All Purpose Flour (bleached). I ran out of time searching for the chocolate, and decided to use my regular flour and test the recipe. The result was that the crust batter was too crumbly and would not form into a ball - so I added chilled water by drops until I could manage it into a ball.

NOTE 2:

  I did make a second pie for another Thanksgiving event the same weekend, after the first was a success, and I adjusted the amount of flour to 3/4 cupe from 1 cup resulting in gathering into a ball, and was easier to spread into the pie plate.

The filling cooked up very easily, and again I used probably a different pot that actually called for - as I have a favorite cooking pot that is larger than usual, but I prefer. It smelled amazing!! The second pie I used a different pot - medium heavy-bottomed saucepan (actually more expensive than my favorite standby) and I found it cooked faster and I had to quickly remove it from the heat as it almost curdled. I use a gas cook-top, and at the same time I was making the filling, my husband decided he needed to make a fried egg on the burner adjacent - so the situation may have been due to a bit of confusion or just my lack of experience with the specific pot.

THE FIRST SLICE!!

It cut easily and was picture perfect. The taste was also perfect. Very smooth and the chocolate flavor heavenly.

The second pie made I did use the Michel Cluizel - Concepcion 66% Dark chocolate, and it was slightly not as bittersweet chocolate flavor, but also exceptional.

TIPS: From my Trials and Tribulations

1. Flour - different flour does produce different results.
   
   
2. When cooking fillings with milk watch the heat!
   
   
3. Using plastic mixing bowls for beating whipping cream just does not work
   - use   glass or metal.
   
   
   
   

RATING: MAGNIFICIENT!
Moderately easy to make 
Explosive Heavenly Taste experience

 

...darleen