Chocolate Cinnamon Cream Pie a la Rosemary

CHOCOLATE CINNAMON CREAM PIE A LA ROSEMARY

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

11/2 cups crumbs from either cinnamon graham wafers (twelve 5 x 2 1/2-inch crackers) or an appropriate cookie (I used a Swedish cinnamon almond thin cookie and decreased the sugar in the crust)

2 Tbsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

Filling:

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cocoa butter) 

(I used 4 oz. plain plus 2 oz. chilli chocolate - for zing! - plus a pinch of smoked, hot Spanish paprika. Do this to taste so you don't blast sensitive palates!)

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, divided

2 whole large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I also added 1/4 tsp. almond extract)

For Whipped Cream:

1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream

5 Tbsp. confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon - or to taste

For Chocolate Curls (Or Your Choice Of Thematic Decorations):

1 (3- to 4-inch-thick) chunk bittersweet chocolate

(you can omit this step and simply dust the whipped cream with a mixture of cocoa powder and cinnamon)

METHOD

Make Crust:  Heat oven to 350F with rack in middle.

Stir together all crust ingredients and press over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until set - 12-15 minutes. Cool crust. Can be baked 2 days ahead and kept, loosely covered with foil (once cool) at room temperature.

Make Filling:

Melt chocolate in a large bowl set over (not in) boiling water.

Stir together cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar.

Whisk (beat) together whole eggs and yolks in another bowl, then add cornstarch mixture.

Stir together milk, cream, salt and remaining sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium heat. Pour half of milk mixture into egg mixture in a slow stream whisking or beating, then pour this egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, then simmer at the boil, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove from heat, whisk in butter and vanilla and/or almond extracts. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into melted chocolate and whisk to combine thoroughly.

Transfer hot filling to crust and chill the pie, its surface covered with parchment paper, until filling is cold - about 3 hours. Pie could also be chilled overnight.

Make Whipped Cream:

Beat cream with confectioners sugar and cinnamon using an electric beater, until mixture holds stiff peaks. Spoon over chilled pie filling.

Make Chocolate Curls:

Hold block of chocolate in your hands (or microwave on low power in 10-second intervals) until surface softens slightly. Using a vegetable peeler (the Y-shaped version would make this operation easiest), "peel" large chocolate curls onto paper towel or waxed paper. If curls are too brittle or don't form easily, rewarm chocolate just until surface softens. Sprinkle curls on pie, and/or dust with cocoa cum cinnamon. Or, decorate with thematic, beautiful, strange or kinky shapes you've made by spreading melted chocolate on parchment paper until set.