Mocha Silk Pie...a love story

I love to cook...especially for family and friends.  So when we invited my bestie Shelly and her family over for dinner I wanted to represent in the dessert arena.  So I went to my go to cooking no fail always yummy guru of the culinary stuff...the Pioneer Woman.  Are you guys familiar with P Dubbs (we're tight like that)?  If not...run to her website: http://thepioneerwoman.com/  They are actually making a movie out of her life and Reese Witherspoon is playing PW.  How cool is that?  I have tried several of her recipes and every single one has been SO delicious.  I came across her Mocha Silk Pie and thought it sounded like a cool, creamy party in your mouth.  So I channeled my inner Julie and Julia and documented the process for you my faithful followers (all four of you).

Here are the cast of characters:  Pecans, brown sugar, semi-sweet chocolate (you have to use the 1 ounce blocks...you cannot use chips, you'll see why later on), Kahlua, instant coffee, eggs, salted butter, vanilla, salt.

So, for the crust:  pecans...I'm going to cut you down to size.  Chop the pecans up...you will need one cup.

This is how fine I chopped mine.

Then grate 2 1oz blocks of semi-sweet chocolate.

It's a fine chocolate dust when you're all done.

Then mix the Pecans, chocolate, 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar, and a dash of salt.

All one happy family.

Uh oh....the party's here!!!  Add 2 tbls. of Kahlua. 

Mix all together until the entire mixture is moist (I hate that word...I also hate the words Olathe and urethra.)  I'm a random mystery of a woman that likes to make pie people...come along for the ride.  Now, put your crust in the fridge while you make the filling.  Oh the filling...how I love me some filling. 

OK...start by melting 3 oz.'s of semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave.  I put mine in for 45 seconds, took it out and stirred it a bit and then put it back in for 30 seconds more.

Here's how it looks all melty and good.  Set this aside for a bit and let it cool completely.

Let's get our mix on.  If you do not have a stand alone mixer I do not recommend making this pie.  And now your standing there with your hand mixer elbow deep in filling saying bad words at me.  Maybe I should have mentioned this whole stand alone mixer business a few steps back...like at the beginning...Schorry!!!  You'll see why a stand alone mixer is imperative when we get to the eggs.

So put 2 sticks of salted butter (room temperature), 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 2 tsp. of instant coffee grounds, and 1 tsp. Kahlua.

Mix together on medium speed until light and fluffy...like a coffee cloud.

Now remember that melty, yummy, bowl of chocolate you sat aside? Pour that into your coffee fluff.  Scrape the bowl clean with a spatula to get all of the chocolate into the bowl.  GET IN THE BOWL!!!

Begin mixing again on medium speed and add 1 tsp. of vanilla.

When the chocolate is completely blended stop the mixer and add one of the 4 eggs.  Mix this egg into the filling for 5 minutes on medium.  After 5 minutes add the 2nd egg and let that mix for 5 minutes.  Do this for all 4 eggs (i.e. it should take you 20 minutes to blend in all 4 eggs).  See why I told you that the only way to go was a stand alone mixer?  I'm here for you friends...lean on me.

When you get to the last egg...your filling should be really coming along.

Well, well, well....look at you.

Next pour the filling into your pie crust.  There will be some left over and I encourage you to do the right thing here and give that extra filling a good home...your belly.

Well hello beautiful!!!

I'm taking this little beauty for a test drive tonight at my dinner party...I'll let you know what the verdict is then.

Here's the recipe for you all laid out simple like:

Prep Time: 35 Minutes

Cook Time: 2 Hours

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 10

Ingredients

• Crust
• 1 cup Pecans, Finely Chopped
• ½ cups Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 ounces, weight Semi Sweet Chocolate Grated
• 2 Tablespoons Kahlua
• Dash Of Salt
• Filling
• 2 sticks Butter (salted)
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Instant Coffee Granules
• 1 teaspoon Kahlua
• 3 ounces, weight Semi-sweet (or Bittersweet) Chocolate
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 4 whole Large Eggs

Preparation Instructions

To make the crust, combine chopped pecans, brown sugar, grated chocolate, and salt. Stir with a fork to combine, then drizzle in Kahlua, stirring until combined. Press mixture into a pie pan, bringing it up the sides a bit. *Do not bake* Set aside or refrigerate until needed.

In small microwave safe bowl, melt 3 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate until stirrable (about 45 seconds on high). Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter, sugar, 2 teaspoons instant coffee, and 1 teaspoon Kahlua until fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. When melted chocolate is cooled, drizzle it into the butter/sugar mixture as it beats on medium speed; use a rubber spatula to get it all out. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat the mixture thoroughly until combined, scraping the sides if necessary.

On medium speed, add the four eggs, one at a time, over a period of 20 minutes; leave about 5 minutes between each egg addition. Scrape sides of bowl halfway through this process. Pour filling into the pie crust. You might have a little filling leftover. If you do, I’ll trust you to do the right thing.

Smooth out the pie filling and place pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours (preferably longer).

Serve with whipped cream and more grated chocolate.