Black Bottom Pie

A few weeks ago I made the most delicious fried chicken from Bon Appetit magazine which had an article celebrating The South and some of its iconic dishes.  Included with the recipe for the chicken was this equally fine recipe for another Southern classic, Black Bottom Pie.  It is basically a pudding pie, but oh so much more with both a chocolate and a decadent vanilla layer and the addition of mascarpone cheese. 

The original recipe called for a gingersnap crumb crust, but after discussing my dessert idea with The Husband, he felt that nothing would work but a chocolate crumb crust.  Since we'd already done our shopping and were on the way home, I pulled over to yet another store and off he trotted in to pick up some chocolate cookies.  A few minutes later he returned with something new and wonderful, chocolate graham crackers.  Who knew they made such a thing?  Like their paler cousins, original graham crackers, these chocolate ones made a perfect crust.  It's a delicious pie and something that will definitely be in my dessert rotation when I need to whip up something out of the ordinary.

P.S.  Recently my fried chicken was published on the Bon Appetit Magazine Blog as one of the best five readers Cook The Cover entries.  Here is the link if you're interested.   Bon Appetit Blog.  My entry is picture four of the five.

Black Bottom Pie
Chocolate Crumb Crust

6 ounces chocolate graham crackers (about 1 package) or 24 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Custard

1 envelope unflavored gelatin powder
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup mascarpone
5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup hot espresso or strong coffee

Assembly

1 cup chilled heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Natural unsweetened cocoa powder
Grated semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

A 9"-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish
Prepare Crust
Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Drizzle in butter and cream; pulse until well blended. Pour into prepared dish. Use the bottom and sides of a measuring cup to pack crumbs onto bottom and up sides of dish. Bake until crust is set, 12–15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack; set aside.

Prepare Custard

Pour 2 Tbsp. water into a small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Heat milk and cream in a large saucepan over medium heat until mixture just comes to a simmer.

Whisk egg yolks and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk egg mixture into milk mixture; whisk in gelatin. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until thick, about 5 minutes.

Remove vanilla custard from heat and stir in mascarpone. Place 1 cup custard in a medium bowl; add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in espresso. Pour chocolate custard into crust; smooth top. Chill pie until set, about 30 minutes. Let vanilla custard stand at room temperature.

Gently pour remaining vanilla custard over chilled chocolate layer (pour slowly so as not to disturb chocolate layer). Smooth top; chill until set, about 1 hour, or keep covered up to 1 day.

Assembly

Using an electric mixer at medium-low speed, beat cream and sugar in a medium bowl until cream begins to thicken. Add rum and vanilla; increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over custard. Dust with cocoa powder and garnish with grated chocolate and almonds. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill uncovered.