The BakeHouse

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Fudge Pie

Amber Flinton

Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. -Marilyn Monroe

Whenever I was sick as a young girl, I would lie on the couch and watch the food network or read through one of my mom’s many cookbooks. I loved looking at the beautiful pictures and reading through the recipes to find the author’s secret techniques. One of the first cookbooks I fell in love with was Sweet Serendipity. It was filled with stories and beautiful photographs of the treats from the New York City institution of the same name.

At the time I had never visited the cafe, but I began baking my way through the book. I’ve since made most of the recipes, and the cookbook was so precious to me that I couldn’t part with it when I left home for college. Mom graciously allowed me to have her copy, and today it serves dual function as cookbook and folder for my myriad loose recipe cards and baking annotations.

This fudge pie is one of my favorite recipes from the book. I’ve adjusted the recipe to achieve a more even bake, no matter your elevation. While it’s still really easy to put together, the dish is so rich it carries an elegance that belies the simplicity of the recipe. The pie emerges glassy smooth and then cracks in cooling to reveal the fudgy core; it’s the epitome of beautiful imperfection. Topped with a tart raspberry coulis, I can’t imagine a more fitting Valentine’s Day dessert, whether for a couple or for a family. I guess I’m not the only one who loved this dessert. Apparently it was also the favorite of Marylyn Monroe, and I’m sure you won’t be able to resist its chocolaty decadence either.

Equipment:

  • Double boiler (optional)

  • 8in. round spring form pan

  • Hand held mixer

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 3 TBS. unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

  • 4 oz. good quality dark chocolate, chopped (70% cocoa)

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup sour cream

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

  • 1 cup sugar + 2 TBS. for coulis

  • 1 10oz. bag frozen raspberries

  • 2 tsp. cornstarch

  • 1 TBS. lemon juice

  • Fresh raspberries, fresh mint, and powdered sugar for garnish (optional)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter the pan generously and line with parchment paper.

  2. Measure the flour, cocoa, and salt out into medium mixing bowl. Stir them together well using a fork.

  3. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl placed over gently boiling water. Stir frequently and only heat until the chocolate and butter are just melted. Remove from the water and allow to cool slightly.

  4. In a large bowl, use the electric mixer to whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and sour cream until smooth and consistent. Slowly add the melted chocolate mixture in, whisking all the while. Whisk on high speed for 6-7 minutes. Your batter will be ready when the mixture has lightened in color and looks almost the same consistency as buttercream frosting. Gently fold in the flour mixture and continue to stir just until all the flour is mixed in and the batter is smooth.

  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pie dish and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, whack the bottom two or three times on the counter and then return the pan to the oven. Continue to bake for 10-15 minutes longer. The top of the pie will be just set and still gooey underneath. After you remove the pie from the oven, the top will crack and deflate, revealing the lovely, fudgy center. Allow the pie to cool completely. For very clean slices, chill the pie before cutting.

  6. Make the raspberry coulis. Combine the frozen raspberries, 2 TBS. of sugar, the cornstarch and the lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the raspberries break down and the sugar dissolves. Stir several times while cooking. Then remove to a dish to cool. This sauce can be served warm or chilled.**

  7. To plate, remove the springform and slice the pie. Serve it dusted with powdered sugar, coulis, fresh raspberries, and a sprig of mint.

**I like a thick sauce with little pops of texture from the raspberry seeds. If your prefer a smooth sauce, you can run the coulis through the food processor after cooking and then pass it through a mesh sieve to achieve a seedless sauce.

Recipe adapted from Sweet Serendipity: Delicious Deserts and Devilish Dish