Chocolate Fudge Pie

I get the Real Simple magazine (I don't know why because I never ordered it but I'm not one to ask questions) and I found a great recipe that I'm going to try for a chocolate fudge pie. Ryan's birthday is on November 4th and I've made him birthday cakes in the past but this is different and sounds like fun.

I will come back to this post when I buy an electric mixer (handheld, I don't bake enough to buy a $300 mixer) and will have my own pics. I need this post as a reference if my magazine disappears.

Serves 8

Hands-On Time: 20m

Total Time: 4hr 00m

Ingredients

Basic Flaky Piecrust

or 1 store-bought piecrust, fitted into a 9-inch pie plate

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped, plus more shaved for topping

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

3 large eggs

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
 
Directions


1.Heat oven to 375º F. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet. Prick crust with a fork and line with foil. Fill to top with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until just golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

2.Reduce oven temperature to 325º F. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter.

3.Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, salt, and ½ cup of the sugar until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Fold a third of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder.

4.Pour the combined mixture into the crust and bake until puffed and beginning to crack, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 1 hour, then chill.

5.Beat the cream with the remaining sugar until soft peaks form. Spread over the pie and sprinkle with the shaved chocolate.

Update on 11/4/09

Super easy to make and delicious!

Fried cauliflower

This is a recipe that my stepmother shared with me that was something her mother used to make.

No, this is not healthy.

One head of cauliflower, broken into small florets
One egg (more if needed, I know I am messy with this)
One container of Italian bread crumbs
Vegetable oil

I usually start by organizing my little stations. I'll fill up a large pan with water for boiling the cauliflower pieces. Let that heat up to a boil. Add a touch of salt to the water.

I use one bowl for my egg(s) that I scramble and another bowl for my breadcrumbs. I also get a plate ready with some paper towels on top.

Add the cauliflower to the pan and let them boil until they are tender, but not too soft so that they break apart. Less than 10 minutes should do.

Heat up a pan of oil on the stove.

After the cauliflower cools down I'll dip each cauliflower piece into the egg, completely coated. From the egg it moves on to the breadcrumbs, again completely coated.


I'll do just a few pieces at the time. After they are coated, I throw them in the pan with the oil. While those are cooking, I continue on with the next few with the egg and breadcrumb mixtures.

I like them to get to a nice crispy brown color. Throw them onto the papertowels and move on to the next pieces.

At the end I usually take the rest of the bread crumbs and egg (that will have a little bit of cauliflower pieces that have broken off inside of it) and that will be the last part that I cook. Leaves nothing wasted and the last scraps are delicious.

These are absolutely delicious! I am a huge Ketchup person so when I am finished I grab a plate of a few, add some Ketchup to the side, and dip them in that before I eat them. This part, of course, is optional. I promise it tastes good though!

I'm actually making this later tonight and will add a picture.

I wanted to add that I made this from a HUGE head of cauliflower. It actually took me 4 eggs scrambled to coat all of the florets. The leftovers are just as tasty when reheated in the toaster oven.