Fudge Pie - This Is How I Cook

Fudge Pie has received a lot of press lately. It is featured as the winning dessert in the novel, “The Help”, (a good read, btw) where everyone wants Minny’s secret recipe. In my life it has always been part of my husband’s requests as he grew up with the fudge pie his mother made. Hers was a very good recipe that reminded me of a baked brownie. Though it has been a long time since I baked it, I recently came across a recipe from Emeril’s, “ Every Day’s a Party” that I adapted for my husband’s birthday surprise. Ordinarily I make a chocolate cake but since we are down to two in this house a giant cake seemed like to much. (Actually, we would have really liked it but our bodies might have put up a fuss.)

This recipe is like liquid fudge and who wouldn’t like liquid fudge? It is super easy- only one bowl and a good stand by when you need a quick dessert. I use the Pillsbury pie crust that is in the refrigerated section at the grocery or you could make your own. Now that I’m thinking about it, it would also be delicious in an oreo or graham cracker crust. Uh oh. My mouth is watering now. And I know what you are thinking. Yes, it does need to be topped off with a good vanilla, coffee, oreo, boy I don’t know- ice cream. Or you could also do whipped cream with a cherry on top or even all three and maybe some chocolate syrup. Man, I am overthinking this!

Yes, one more thing. I love, love, love the Emile Henry pie dish from Williams Sonoma. (www.williams-sonoma.com/products/emile-henry-artisan-ruffled-pie-dish) It truly makes pie baking so much easier because it keeps your crust nice and crusty- not under or over cooked. It bakes evenly and every one should have one or two. It isn’t cheap but about 5 years ago, maybe longer, I decided I was tired of messing with pies because the crust never turned out the way I wanted it. Well, this dish solved my problems. I know you will thank me later.

So now it is time for you to bake. Perhaps get ready for Thanksgiving. Maybe you are just in the mood for chocolate. Anyway, by the time I got to taking pictures of this pie, these two pieces were all that were left. I guess it was fitting- a mommy piece and a daddy piece. Enjoy!

Fudge Pie

1 unbaked pie crust
1 stick butter
4 oz semisweet, bittersweet or mixed chocolate
4 eggs beaten
1t vanilla
3 T corn syrup
1c sugar
1 1/2T flour
pinch of salt

Melt butter and chocolate in microwave. (It works for me at power level 7 about 1 minute, but every microwave is different.) Beat with whisk until combined. Make sure this is cooled enough before you add the eggs. (You don’t want the eggs to cook in the hot chocolate. Get it?) Add the corn syrup and vanilla and mix well. Add sugar, flour and salt. Mix well and pour into pie shell.

Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. It will have formed an upper crust, be jiggly and the top may sink, but it will be gooey and delicious. Let cool before slicing.

She tried really hard to get a piece of her own.