Brownie Pie

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat the oven to 350°F.

   Step 2

   Dump 210 g (1 1/4 cups) graham crust into a 10-inch pie tin and set the remaining 45 g (1/4 cup) to the side. With your fingers and the palms of your hands, press the crust firmly into the pie tin, covering the bottom and sides of the pan completely. Wrapped in plastic, the crust can be refrigerated or frozen for up to 2 weeks.

   Step 3

   Combine the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and gently melt them together on low for 30 to 50 seconds. Use a heatproof spatula to stir them together, working until the mixture is glossy and smooth.

   Step 4

   Combine the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip together on high for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and pale yellow and has reached the ribbon state. (Detach your whisk, dunk it into the whipped eggs, and wave it back and forth like a pendulum: the mixture should form a thickened, silky ribbon that falls and then disappears into the batter.) If the mixture does not form ribbons, continue whipping on high as needed.

   Step 5

   Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Dump the chocolate mixture into the eggs and briefly mix together on low, then increase the speed to medium and paddle the mixture for 1 minute, or until it is brown and completely homogenous. If there are any dark streaks of chocolate, paddle for a few seconds longer, or as needed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

   Step 6

   Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt and paddle on low speed for 45 to 60 seconds. There should be no clumps of dry ingredients. If there are any lumps, mix for an additional 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

   Step 7

   Stream in the heavy cream on low speed, mixing for 30 to 45 seconds, just until the batter has loosened up a little and the white streaks of cream are fully mixed in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

   Step 8

   Detach the paddle and remove the bowl from the mixer. Gently fold in the 45 g (1/4 cup) graham crust with a spatula. (These crumbs will add little bursts of flavor and texture into the pie filling.)

   Step 9

   Grab a sheet pan and put your pie tin of graham crust on it. With a spatula, scrape the brownie batter into the graham shell. Bake for 25 minutes. The pie should puff slightly on the sides and develop a sugary crust on top. If the brownie pie is still liquid in the center and has not formed a crust, bake it for an additional 5 minutes or so.

   Step 10

   Cool the pie on a rack. (You can speed up the cooling process by carefully transferring the pie to the fridge or freezer directly out of the oven if you’re in a hurry.) Wrapped in plastic, the pie will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

2. Notes

   Step 11

   You can decorate the pie with a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar. To plate this pie with a VIP look, use a spoon or an offset spatula to smear a little Fudge Sauce (page 136) in a circle toward the center of the pie and garnish a small outer circle with Chocolate Crumbs (page 77).

3. Step 12

   Warm the graham crust slightly in the microwave to make it easy to mold.