by Si King & Dave Myers from The Hairy Bikers British Classics (Orion/Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
Photography: Andrew Hayes-Watkins
Whether via the Mississippi or Mersey, this has become a British favourite and a Biker classic. It’s a recipe we discovered on our trip to the southern US a few years ago and it is the most indulgent dessert ever. If you want a big bruiser of a pud for a special occasion, this is the one for you. No way we could leave it out of this book.
Serves 8
Base and sides
75g butter
150g chocolate digestive biscuits
150g dark chocolate sandwich biscuits
Filling
135g plain dark chocolate, broken into squares
135g butter, cubed
3 large eggs
150g light soft brown sugar
25g cocoa powder, sifted
150ml double cream
Topping
500ml double cream
1 tbsp light soft brown sugar
25g plain dark chocolate, grated
Method
Ideally make this in a metal pie dish with sloping sides for best results.
The dish should measure about 23cm in diameter at the top with a base of about 18cm. Line the dish with foil to make it easier to remove the pie once it’s cooked.
First make the mixture for the base and sides. Melt the butter in a small pan. Break the biscuits into chunky pieces and put them in a food processor. Blitz them into crumbs, then add the melted butter and, with the motor running, blend until thoroughly mixed.
Sprinkle the crumbs into the pie dish and press them firmly into the base and sides. Make sure the biscuit base is evenly distributed, especially where the base meets the sides. Put the dish on a small baking tray and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Now for the filling. Put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Leave the chocolate and butter to melt, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the pan and set it aside to cool for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
Using an electric hand-held whisk, beat the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until very light and creamy. They should roughly triple in volume.
Whisk in the chocolate mixture in a steady stream, then whisk in the sifted cocoa powder and the cream until well combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared biscuit base and bake the pie for 35–40 minutes until it is just firm and slightly risen. Leave it to cool in the tin. The pie filling will sink a little as it cools. When the pie is cold, carefully remove it from the tin and slide it off the foil and on to a serving plate. Chill it in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
For the topping, whisk the cream with the sugar until very soft peaks form. Spoon the cream on to the pie in generous peaks. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate and serve.
Drinks tasted on air, alongside the dish
Kommentare