Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

If you are looking for a pumpkin pie with a difference, this is the recipe for you.

Although it’s not your traditional pumpkin pie, it’s a chocolate version of it. This would make the perfect addition to any table during the thanksgiving period or enjoyed as the perfect autumnal dessert as the dark nights creep in earlier and earlier.

I’ll be 100% honest with you, I’m not a massive fan of traditional pumpkin pie. There is something about the texture that I just don’t like (perhaps that’s just me, even with a copious amount of spices, it can’t distract me away from the texture), therefore I made my own version of it by making the filling and pastry chocolate (because chocolate makes most things better, doesn’t it?).

You may also be thinking ‘chocolate and spices?!’ – I know, it doesn’t sound like it would work but it’s weirdly balanced. You get all of the warmth from the ground spices and the richness and obviously chocolate flavour, which for me works pleasantly well. You could make this a chocolate pumpkin tart by excluding the spices from the mixture but thats a personal choice.

When it comes to the pastry, if you feel there may be too much chocolate, don’t worry. Simply use the recipe and substitute the cocoa powder for more plain flour. The chocolate pastry works really well, personally anyway.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

 

Ingredients:

Pastry:

345g plain flour.

30g cocoa powder

225g butter.

1 egg.

90g granulated sugar.

 

Pie Filling:

125g light brown sugar.

220g pumpkin puree.

1 egg.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

30g cocoa powder.

1 tsp ground cinnamon.

1/2 tsp ground ginger.

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg.

1/4 tsp ground cloves.

1/8 tsp ground mixed spice.

150ml evaporated milk.

 

Methods:

Before you get started on any element of this recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. Weigh up all of your ingredients, preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f and get any equipment you may need ready – I use a food processor, mixing bowl and whisk.

To start, you’ll want to make the pastry as this takes the longest amount of time. Start by placing the plain flour, cocoa powder and cold butter into a food processor – then pulse until everything is fully combined. The dough won’t come together, it’ll be much more of a sandy consistency.

Whisk together the sugar and egg, until the sugar has dissolved. Then add the sugar mixture into the dry ingredients and pulse until a dough forms. Remove from the food processor and knead briefly into a smooth ball, wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for about 60 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

After the resting period, you’ll want to take the dough from the fridge and lightly flour your counter with a small amount of flour (not forgetting to flour your rolling pin). Roll the dough out, rotating the dough as needed to achieve the right thickness (this is roughly the same thickness as a pound coin here in the UK). Trim away the excess pastry from the edge of your 8 inch pie dish but don’t throw it away, you’ll use it up.

Re-roll the excess pastry (only once, then make a new batch) and use small stamp cutters with leaf or similar patters to make some cut outs. You’ll want enough to go around the edge of the pie, so calculate and make a few extra, incase others break or get damaged.

Now stick those cut outs onto the edge of the pie case, using a small amount of beaten egg (this will act as the glue) and a fork to secure it into place with the main crust). Place the next cut out on, slightly overlapping it, so you can’t see the seam or imperfections. It can get a little fiddly where it starts and ends but its easily sorted once you get to it.

Once you’ve applied the decorated crust, you can generously egg wash the entirety of it. This helps the pastry to bake more attractively and colour bette (even on chocolate pastry, weirdly).

Set this aside, ideally in the fridge while you make then chocolate pumpkin filling.

For the filling, simply take a large mixing bowl and place in the lightly brown sugar, pumpkin puree, egg, cocoa powder and ground spices and give it all a mix together, until smooth (as can be) and everything is fully incorporated. At this point, you might find that the mixture is slightly viscous, this is normal – don’t worry.

Now you an go ahead and add in the evaporated milk, then whisk this in until fully incorporated. You will notice a change in the consistency, this is normal. It should have become more liquid.

Take the pastry case from the fridge and optionally give the edge another coating of egg wash – this isn’t needed but I did it anyway. Then you can take the filling and carefully pour it in the middle of the pastry case, trying your best not to get any onto the decorated edge.

This pie doesn’t require any blind baking, which is perfect for this time of year. It’s already chaotic, so why add more stress into the equation? I’ve got you covered.

Place in to the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, check after around 35 minutes – if the centre still moves or is majorly jiggly, bake for 10 minutes more and then check. Ovens are different around the world, so always use the times I give as a guide and not law.

Once baked, allow to cool down, then transfer onto a plate or stand of your choice. When slicing the pie up, feel free to whip up a small amount of whipped cream and pipe it onto the portion and finish with a dusting of pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon – its up to you!

That’s my take on a chocolate pumpkin pie, easy right? Best of all, this can be made easily, in next to no time and even better, can be made ahead of time and frozen – perfect right?

That’s all for today guys, I hope you enjoyed. If you did, don’t forget to share this recipe with your family and friends and enjoy it. I’ll be back soon with another blog post and YouTube video, so join me then. In the meanwhile, don’t forget to check out my other social’s – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The YouTube tutorial will be linked down below.