This mile-high chocolate pie is inspired by a Southern classic: the MoonPie.
TheMoonPieis wonderful, famous, and worthy of such adoration, but technically, it’s not a pie.
So we stepped in to fill the gap between the name and the thing.
Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
We guarantee the work is totally worth it.
(1 oz.)
Place graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar in a medium bowl.
Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Stir until mixture is well combined and resembles damp sand.
Press on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate.
Transfer to a wire rack, and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Return crust to preheated oven, and bake just until marshmallows begin to melt, about 3 minutes.
(Do not let marshmallows turn brown or crisp.)
Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Prepare the Chocolate Filling:
Combine chocolate chips in a large bowl.
Bring cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high.
Cook until cream is very hot and bubbles start to form around edges of pan.
Remove from heat, and immediately pour over chocolate chips.
Let stand 1 minute.
Add butter and salt, and whisk until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
Gently whisk in vanilla, and, if desired, whiskey.
Cool to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
(Filling should be thickened but still pourable.)
Loosely cover pie with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature 8 hours or overnight.
(No need to refrigerate the pie.
It is best left at room temperature.)
Reduce heat to low, maintaining a simmer.
Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water.
(Or use a double boiler instead of saucepan and heatproof bowl.)
Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar completely dissolves.
Remove bowl from heat.
Add vanilla bean paste.
Add Meringue to pie:
Spoon Marshmallow Meringue over top of pie.
Meringue will lose a little of its puffiness and loft but remain beautiful, usable, and delicious.)
The chocolate filling sets up to a smooth, pudding-like filling at room temperature.
The marshmallow layer also does well at room temperature, remaining soft and pillowy.
Bring the pie to room temperature before serving for a fudgy center and gooey marshmallow layer.
The semisweet and milk chocolate can be substituted with your favorite types.
Keep in mind the darker the chocolate, the thicker the filling will set up.
