Chocolate Buttermilk Pie

This is a chocolate pie with INTENSE chocolate flavor! The filling looks almost like a brownie, but while the top of the pie has a slight crust, the filling is actually wet, dense and creamy. It tastes almost like brownie batter, and the buttermilk adds a hint of tanginess that makes the flavor more robust. I should probably point out that I am the kind of person who prefers milk chocolate over dark chocolate, while my mom can't get enough deep chocolate flavor. I will readily admit that this pie was delicious, but almost borderline too chocolatey for me. However, my mother, Dr. Chocolate Fiend, ate every last bite of hers. So this is a pie for a definite chocolate person. I use instant coffee crystals to enhance the chocolate flavor, but that doesn't make it taste like coffee. No one will know it's in there, but they will know that it tastes amazing.


Ingredients:

1 9-inch pie crust, store-bought or home-made
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup chocolate chips, milk or semi-sweet
1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 400F or 204C. Making sure not to stretch it, carefully lay the pie crust into a 9-inch pie pan, tucking in any overlapping edges. Line the inside of the pie crust with foil and fill with uncooked rice or beans or pie weights to keep the pie crust down. Bake for 11-12 minutes until lightly golden, then set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 350F or 177C.

*If you do not have buttermilk, combine 1 cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of vinegar and allow this mixture to sit for 5 minutes before use.

While the crust is baking, prepare your filling. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the cocoa powder, coffee crystals, and sugar; mixing well until totally combined. Microwave the chocolate chips for 1 minute or until soft, and add to the butter and cocoa mixture. In another bowl, beat the eggs well and add the flour, buttermilk, salt and vanilla. Whisk until well combined. Making sure the chocolate mixture is not hot, carefully beat the chocolate mixture into the buttermilk mixture. Pour the filling into your prepared crust, filling the pie about 1/2 or 2/3 of the way up. Discard any remaining chocolate filling. 

Bake the pie on a cookie sheet for 45 minutes. The center of the pie may jiggle slightly when it's done. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm or chilled with vanilla whipped cream or ice cream... or both!

Have leftover buttermilk you want to use up? How about trying my chicken and dumplings or maybe my fluffy buttermilk biscuits!