Chocolate chess pie might seem like the boring choice in the pie case, but not to Maryland baker Seton Rossini.
The author of "Sweet Envy: Deceptively Easy Desserts, Designed to Steal the Show" channels the creativity of Jackson Pollock when she makes this s'mores pie by drizzling melted chocolate on top of marshmallows and crumbled graham crackers.
The chocolate drips just like paint, and you could use butterscotch chips for yet another layer of color, flavor and texture. Craft stores sell a rainbow of melting candies, which means you could make an orange and black one for a festive Halloween dessert next weekend.
Jackson Pollock S’mores Pie
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
For the chocolate filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
1 heaping cup of mini marshmallows
3 graham cracker sheets, broken into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the crust ingredients in a bowl, mixing with a fork until they begin to clump together.
Firmly press the crumb mixture on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan and bake for 5 minutes, then set aside while you make the chocolate filling. Keep the oven heated.
In a bowl, combine all the filling ingredients (1 cup sugar through salt)and whisk until fully incorporated and smooth. Pour into the graham cracker pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is set around the edges and jiggles slightly in the middle. Let pie cool before topping.
Turn the oven on broil. Sprinkle the marshmallows and graham cracker pieces on top of the pie, then place under the broiler to toast the marshmallows. Watch carefully; this will only take a minute. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Alternatively, if you’re lucky enough to own a kitchen blowtorch, use that to toast the marshmallows.
Place the dark and white chocolate in separate bowls. Heat each in the microwave for 20 seconds, then stir, repeating until the chocolate is just about melted. Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate all over the pie. (This is the fun part, so go ahead and get creative!) Cool to room temperature or chill before serving. Makes one 9-inch pie.
— From "Sweet Envy: Deceptively Easy Desserts, Designed to Steal the Show" by Seton Rossini (Countryman Press, $24.95)
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