I made my first test batch of thin mint cookies the other day. I ran into some issues with the melted chocolate then I ran out of the melted chocolate so I ended up with some leftover plain chocolate cookies. I decided to use them up by making a pie with a cookie crumb crust. I went digging through my Mable Hoffman’s Chocolate Cookery cookbook for some inspiration. Here is my modified, dairy free version of her Chocolate Chiffon Pie (p. 206). This pie is light and airy, but still so very rich and creamy.
Pie Crust
1½ tbsp. granulated sugar
3 tbsp Fleischmann’s Unsalted Margarine Sticks, melted
· Place the chocolate wafers and sugar into a food processor. Blitz until you get fine crumbs.
· Add the melted margarine.
· Mix just until combined.
· Press cookie mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.
· Refrigerate until the filling is ready.
Filling
1 pkg plain gelatin
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1¼ cups rice milk
6 oz. Scharffen Berger Semi Sweet Dark Chocolate*, broken into chunks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp Kahlua (coffee flavored liqueur) or 1 tsp coffee extract
4 egg yolks
3 egg whites
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp cream of tartar
· Combine gelatin, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan.
· Gradually stir in the rice milk.
· Add the chocolate pieces.
· Stir over low heat until the chocolate melts.
· Remove from the heat.
· Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl, then whisk a small amount of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.
· Stir the yolk mixture into the chocolate mixture.
· Return to low heat.
· Stir until thickened.
· Stir in vanilla extract and Kahlua (coffee extract).
· Cool mixture until it’s very thick.
· In a mixing bowl, beat the room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar.
· Once the egg whites are foamy reduce the speed to medium and very slowly add the sugar.
· Beat on high until the egg whites are stiff but not dry.
· Stir ⅓ of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
· Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
· Pour into the piecrust.
· Refrigerate.
*Most of their dark chocolates are dairy free. I’m saying most since I have not checked all of them.