Black Forest Crostata Pie

Holiday Black Forest Crostata Pie

by Rosalinda Mariotti from Molto Ono (adapted from Ernst Knam)

 

This dessert is a perfect holiday dessert. It evokes cozy warm feelings, and screams “hot cocoa, please!"

Black Forest Crostata Pie looks like a complicated bake, but its its execution is actually rather quick. Just a few components to assemble carefully.

Makes a fluted 8” pie with removable bottom.

Ingredients for the crust:

• 150 g (5.3 oz) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 150 g (5.3 oz) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon (6g) baking powder
• 1 tablespoon Kirsch liquor
• a pinch of salt
• 30 g (4 Tbs) Euphoria sunrise baking cocoa
• 270 g (9.5oz) AP flour

Vanilla cream:

• 250 g (1 heaping cup) Milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond flavor
• 75 g (about 4) egg yolks
• 20 g (2 T) cornstarch
• 50 g (¼ C) granulated sugar

Chocolate ganache

• 170 g (2/3 C) heavy cream
• 230 g (8 oz) Euphoria Dark Chocolate buttons
• 1 cup Dark Kirch or sour cherries (optional)

Directions:

• Bring the cream for the ganache to a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate chips. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside.

Make the cream:

1. Mix the cornstarch, sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk to incorporate, add the vanilla and stir in. Meawhile bring the milk to a light simmer, pour slowly the milk over the egg mixture and whisk slowly not to create too many air bubbles. Place the whole mixture back on the heat and stir until it starts to thicken. Once the cream coats the spoon turn off the heat.

Make filling:

1. mix equal amount of ganache and vanilla cream until smooth.

NOTE: I used about 200~250 g of each. Use as much as you can. I had some extra vanilla cream and used it on the bottom of the pie.

Cover the filling with plastic wrap on contact and refrigerate.

Make the crust:

1. Place the flour, baking powder, cocoa, sugar and butter in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Pulse so self sift and keep pulsing until the butter has broken down in tiny pieces.
3. Add the large eggs and flavorings and keep pulsing until the dough comes together around the blades. Will take about 1 minute or so. Remove the dough mass and place it in a ziplock bag. Refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.

Assemble the Pie:

1. Roll out the dough at about 12 “ in diameter so that will line an 8” pie pan all the way up its sides.
2. Use the extra dough to cut out 2 cookies in the shape of a tree (optional) and the decorations (ropes and dots).
3. Puncture the bottom of the dough with a fork. Pour the chilled cream and level it with an offset spatula.
4. Pre heat oven to 325°F static
5. Roll the leftover dough into a long rope and create a pattern of choice over the filling
6. Randomly divide the drained cherries over the pie.
7. Bake the Black Forest pie for about 35~45 min on the lowest part of the oven for the first 30 min, the bring it to the top and finish cooking.
8. Let the baked dessert cool in the pan for about 1 hour, then transfer it to the refrigerator or use it right away.
9. If you bake the decorative cookies, remove them after 15 minutes from the oven.
10. Garnish: dust the Pie with powder sugar and decorate the cookies with edible glitter. Serve with whipped cream and more cherries.

NOTE: the dessert cuts much more easily if you let it rest overnight in the refrigerator.