Chocolate Caramel Hazelnut Pie
Submitted by hcullop
Chocolate caramel hazelnut pie with a from-scratch caramel base, unsweetened chocolate, evaporated milk, and a heavy load of toasted hazelnuts. French-style patisserie pie in a prebaked shell.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
35 minREADY
110 minChocolate caramel hazelnut pie is the kind of dessert you make when you want to show off without telling anyone. The filling starts with a dry caramel, just sugar and water cooked to a deep amber, then enriched with butter, evaporated milk, and chopped unsweetened chocolate. It tastes like a French patisserie tart at a fraction of the work.
The caramel stage is the only part that requires attention. Don’t stir while the sugar cooks, agitation causes crystallization and a grainy filling. Swirl the pan if you need to even out the color, and pull it from the heat the moment it hits a rich golden brown.
Adding the butter and evaporated milk is dramatic, the caramel will sputter and steam, that’s normal. Whisk steadily and the mixture smooths out into a glossy ganache-like base. The unsweetened chocolate balances the sweetness so the pie doesn’t read cloying.
Two cups of skinned, coarsely chopped hazelnuts go in last for buttery crunch. A short high-heat bake sets the surface and develops that bubbling, caramelized edge.
Pro Tips
- Pre-bake the pie shell fully. A wet caramel filling will turn an unbaked crust to glue.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan for the caramel. Thin pans create hot spots that burn the sugar unevenly.
- Skin hazelnuts by toasting them at 350°F (175°C) until fragrant, then rubbing them in a clean kitchen towel.
- The pie sets fully as it cools. Don’t slice until completely cool, about an hour, or the filling will run.
Variations
- Use toasted pecans or walnuts in place of hazelnuts for a Southern-style spin.
- Add a tablespoon of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate notes.
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before baking for a salted caramel finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Filling preparation: First, prepare the pie shell.
Then, in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together the sugar and water.
Set the saucepan over medium-high heat.
Let the sugar mixture come to a boil and continue to cook until it caramelizes.
Do not stir the sugar as it cooks.
If it caramelizes unevenly, you can move it around by swirling it in the pan.
When the sugar is a rich golden brown, remove it from heat and stir in the butter and evaporated milk gradually, mixing well with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Let cool for 5 minutes and stir in the chocolate.
Beat with a whisk until very smooth.
Set the filling aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then stir in the nuts.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Assembly and baking: Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for 10 minutes, until the edge is very brown and the center is bubbling.
Once the pie has cooled to room temperature, about 1 hour, decorate it, if desired, by making small flowers with the whole hazelnuts and sliced almonds.
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