Growing up, my favorite cake was always Kahlua cake (recipe available in Alcohol – It’s Not Just for Drinking). I’m not a huge coffee fan, so it seems odd that I would enjoy coffee liquor so much in desserts. The mixture of coffee and chocolate flavors has always been a favorite of mine though. I love chocolate espresso beans, mochas are my coffeehouse drink of choice, and espresso brownies have always been the way to my heart.
For Christmas this year, I needed a pie for dinner with my family. My mother-in-law, Anease, makes a fabulous chocolate pie, and I started toying with the idea of making chocolate pie myself for Christmas. However, I wanted something where I could create a recipe rather than just following one. I was stuck on the chocolate pie idea though, so I started racking my brain and remembered my Kahlua cake. I decided to make a Kahlua pie with coffee whipped cream as my contribution to Christmas dessert. The result was deliciously creamy, slightly coffee flavored, and even better after sitting in the refrigerator for a day. The flavor of coffee came out more, but the chocolate was also more pronounced. I recommend making this pie a day ahead of time. Allow the filling to cool before topping with the whipped cream and refrigerating. The amount of coffee in both the filling and whipped cream can be altered, depending on how strong you want the taste to be. The measurements used here give a mild coffee flavor, enhancing the flavor of the chocolate more than anything. The addition of chopped espresso beans gives an otherwise completely creamy pie a nice crunch.
Kahlua Pie with Coffee Whipped Cream
Ingredients:
1 graham cracker pie crust
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups 2% milk
5 medium or large egg yolks
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
3 tablespoons Kahlua coffee liquor
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon Kahlua coffee liquor
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
3 teaspoons sugar
Chopped chocolate espresso beans, for garnish
In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in milk then add egg yolks, beating until no yellow streaks remain. Add chopped chocolate and espresso powder and set pan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a spoon until mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk until smooth. Stir in Kahlua and return pan to heat. Bring back to a simmer and cook for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla and butter. Spoon chocolate filling into graham cracker crust. Allow to cool slightly before placing plastic wrap directly on filling and refrigerating at least three hours.
For whipped cream, dissolve the espresso powder into ½ tablespoon water. Pour whipping cream into a mixing bowl. Add espresso and sugar and begin beating the whipping cream with an electric mixer. Add in the Kahlua and beat cream until desired stiffness. Remove plastic wrap from pie filling and evenly spoon whipped cream over the pie and spread to the edges. Sprinkle chopped chocolate covered espresso beans over the whipped cream for garnish.
