THE SWISS CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

THE SWISS CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

 

This Chocolate Brownie Pie recipe is one you’ll come back to again and again. Crisp chocolate pie crust with a fudgy brownie centre. Try it still warm with a scoop of ice cream.

You may or may not know of my love for brownies but when an idea of Chocolate Brownie Pie pops into my brain, I follow that lead.

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

– Brookie Pie

– Chocolate Meringue Brownie Cake

– Drunken Hazelnut Cranberry Brownies

– Chocolate Coconut Brownies

WHAT IS CHOCOLATE BROWNIE PIE

This indulgent pie is a simple chocolate brownie pie crust shell – using the pie crust from these Mini Chocolate Tarts – and a rich, fudgy brownie centre. I just love how the top goes all crisp and crackly.

Decadent, super chocolatey and ridiculously easy to make from scratch, you need to bolt to your kitchen right now and make this brownie pie recipe. You’ll never need another one.

And whilst rich, it’s not as tall as a slice of cake so you will easily finish off a slice and likely want another one.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE PIE

I love a simple recipe as much as the next person. This pie is made in two steps – the brownie pie crust and then the brownie filling itself. Both steps are simple and you can say you made it all from scratch.

For the brownie pie crust, start by placing your dry ingredients and butter in a food processor (photo 1) and process on low for around 20-30 seconds until the smallest piece of butter is about the size of half a pea.

When making pastry, make sure your ingredients are cold (ie butter and water) as this will give you the crispest and flakiest result. I will often put everything, including the flour in the freezer 15 minutes before I start so I know it’s all super cold.

SERVING SUGGESTION AND MAKING BROWNIE PIE AHEAD

This fudgy chocolate pie will be hard to resist once you take it out of the oven but do wait for it to cool a little so that you can slice through and cut clean slices. I love mine still just warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. So, so good.

It reheats like a dream so you can make it a day or two before, then reheat slices in the microwave or the whole thing in the oven for just a short time then serve.

CAN BROWNIE PIE BE FROZEN?

Yes, you can freeze it whole or sliced. Once cold, wrap it well in plastic wrap and then place in an airtight container if you have one the right size and freeze for up to 3 months.

Let it thaw at room temperature (3-4 hours if it’s a whole pie) then reheat as required. Or you can eat it cold too.

Ingredients

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE PIE CRUST

165  g  (1 1/4 cups / 2.3oz ) plain (all-purp) flour

1/4  cup  (25g / 1oz) unsweetened cocoa

2  tablespoons  icing (powdered / confectioners) sugar (notes)

115  g  (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

2 tablespoones ice cold water (notes)

FOR THE BROWNIE FILLING

85  g  (3/4 stick / 3oz) unsalted butter

50  g  (1/4 cup / 1.8oz) dark (70% cocoa) chocolate

3  large eggs

150  g  (3/4 cup / 5.3oz) packed dark muscovado sugar (notes)

150  g  (3/4 cup / 5.3oz) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

65  g  (1/2 cup / 2.3oz) plain (all-purp) flour

50  g  (1/2 cup / 1.8oz) dutch processed cocoa

1/2  teaspoon  salt

Instructions

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE PIE CRUST

Place the flour, cocoa and sugar in a food processor and pulse 2 times to combine

Add the chilled butter and blitz for about 20 seconds until the lumps are quite small (1-2mm). With the processor on low, drizzle cold water, just until it begins to clump.

Pull the dough together with your hands and shape it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Line the base of a 8 inch round, deep pie dish with baking paper.

Dust a clean worktop with a little cocoa. Roll the dough out to about 3mm thickness. Place one side over your forearm and lift the other side with your free hand and lay the dough into the tart tin. Poke holes all over the base with a fork, then chill for 15 minutes in the freezer or fridge for 30 minutes.

Lay a sheet of baking paper into the tart shell and fill with rice or baking weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and paper and bake a further 10 minutes.

FOR THE BROWNIE

On the VERY LOWEST heat, melt the butter and chocolate together in a saucepan, stirring regularly. Remove from heat.

Use a handheld beater to beat together the eggs and both sugars until fluffy. Add the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla and mix through.

Sift over the flour, cocoa and salt and use a spatula to mix through until just combined.

Pour into your pie crust and bake for 35-40 minutes turning the tray halfway through. It’s cooked when the top is dry but it feels firm when you press down gently. A toothpick inserted will come out with some thick sticky crumbs on it.

Let it cool until just warm before, slicing, topping with ice cream and serving.