Decadent Chocolate Turtle Pie
Submitted by dmartell
Decadent chocolate turtle pie layers a milk chocolate graham crust, a silky filling of homemade caramel folded into dark chocolate custard, and a crown of pecans and chocolate chips. Caramel, chocolate and nuts in every bite.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
35 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
5 hrsTurtle anything means chocolate, caramel and pecans, and this pie packs all three into one rich slice. It starts with a graham crust spiked with melted milk chocolate, pressed into the plate and chilled firm so it holds up to the lush filling.
The filling is where the real cooking happens. You make a true caramel from scratch, boiling sugar to a light amber, then carefully streaming in hot cream so it dissolves into a smooth caramel sauce. Tempered egg yolks and chopped semisweet chocolate go in to set it into a glossy, custardy filling.
A scatter of pecans and chocolate chips over the top toasts in the oven as the pie bakes to a just-set center. The hardest part is the wait, since a few hours in the fridge firms it into clean, decadent wedges.
Chef Tips
- Don’t stir the caramel once it boils. Stirring invites crystals. Brush the pan sides with water as directed and swirl gently instead.
- Watch the caramel closely near amber. It goes from golden to burnt in seconds, and scorched caramel tastes bitter.
- Stand back when you add the hot cream. It bubbles up violently, so pour slowly.
- Temper the yolks with a little hot caramel cream before adding them all, so they don’t scramble into the filling.
Variations
- Drizzle extra caramel and a pinch of flaky salt over the chilled pie for a salted-caramel turtle.
- Use a chocolate cookie crumb crust instead of graham for even more chocolate.
- Swap the pecans for toasted walnuts or hazelnuts.
Ingredients
Directions
MAKE THE CRUST:
In a medium bowl, blend the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar.
Stir in the milk chocolate.
Press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
PREPARE THE FILLING:
In a heavy medium saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water over low heat, stirring constantly.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then let boil without stirring until the syrup turns a light amber.
While the syrup is boiling, brush down the sides of the pan from time to time with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the hot cream (be careful, it will bubble rapidly).
Continue stirring, over heat if necessary, until all of the caramel is dissolved into the cream.
In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks.
Whisk about ½ cup of the hot caramel cream into the eggs to warm them.
Transfer the warmed eggs to the caramel cream in the saucepan.
Stir in the chopped semisweet chocolate and the vanilla, stirring until melted and smooth.
Pour the filling mixture into the pie crust.
Sprinkle the pecans and chocolate chips on top.
Bake for about 35 min., or until the center is just set.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then refrigerate until firm, about 4 hrs.
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