Chocolate chess pie – a Southern classic

For special occasions, chocolate chess pie is a top choice for the crowd around the Casa Bouquet table. This old-time recipe has a rich, dark chocolate taste.

You will need a pastry piecrust in an 8- or 9-inch pan, a small mixing bowl and spoon, a piecrust shield, and a glass measuring cup for melting the butter and chocolate.

Start with an 8 inch pie shell (I use Pillsbury, from the dairy case. Follow directions carefully, sprinkling both sides with flour.) [I’m not a good piecrust maker. Please feel free to look up some of the excellent recipes that use iced water and leaf lard and make one from scratch!] Drape the crust into the pie pan so that it is hanging past the pan evenly all around. Fold the edges in to the pan and crimp by pushing your left index finger into your right thumb and index finger (or vice versa!).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center.

Cut the butter into 4 or 6 chunks and place in a glass measuring cup with the chocolate. I used 70% dark chocolate from our local chocolatier, Videri Chocolate Factory.  Put in the microwave and heat 20 seconds at a time until the butter and chocolate look soft.

In a mixing bowl, mix the flour and sugars. Add the chocolate and butter and stir. Add all the ingredients and mix well.

Pour into pie shell and cover crust edge with piecrust shield or strips of aluminum foil. Bake in a 350^o oven for 25 minutes, until the pie cracks on top. It will look a little glossy, like the top of a pan of brownies. We eat ours as is, but this lovely chocolate chess pie lends itself well to a topping.

Nutrition facts

Resource links

• http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/PieHistory/ChessPie.htm
  • History of chess pie from Linda Stradley’s What’s Cooking America
• http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodpies.html#chess
  • Origin of chess pie from Food Timeline
• http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/2013/11/how-to-make-the-perfect-pie-crust/
  • How to make the perfect pie crust from Life in Grace
• http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/11/gluten-free-pie-crust-recipe.html
  • Gluten free pastry pie crust from Serious Eats
• http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/07/sweet-technique-shaping-pie-crust-how-to-make-lattice-topped-pie-woven-crust-slideshow.html#show-174783
  • Classic crimped crust from Serious Eats

Let’s talk story

I got the original of this recipe from my friend M during college. She grew up in Roanoke, VA. We all contributed our favorite family recipes to the sorority house for our weekday dinners. Over the years, I have shared this recipe with many graduate students and this deep chocolate treat has become our family’s number 1 pie during the holidays.

I’ll be looking for comments below, or contact me at lisa [at] thecasabouquet[dot]com.

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