Memorial Day kicks off a season full of food favorites doesn’t it? Best grilling recipes come out of hibernation to move families into dining al fresco. The deck or porch become another room in the house often used for daily dining for us. The sweltering heat of summer calls for innovative desserts that flaunt big flavor but aren’t too heavy either. Today’s recipe for Cherry Chocolate Chip Pie delivers everything a summer dessert should. It’s a light, creamy, frozen pie that cools the heat with fabulous flavors of cherry and chocolate in a graham cracker crust. Easy to put together and even better to eat!
I originally tried this pie after finding the recipe in a batch of vintage recipes I’d purchased at a thrift store. Whenever I come into a batch of vintage recipes I tend to go through all of them looking for recipes that are unique, translate to modern times for the ingredients, use whole ingredients (no Jell-O or cans of soup) and frankly are not overly complex. I love food and sophisticated food but I rarely have the time to labor over recipes with extensive ingredient lists but still want a pleasing end result.
This recipe for Chocolate Chip Pie caught my attention. The advertisement of a 'summer dessert' placed in my 'to try' pile especially with summer right around the corner. I always make vintage recipes verbatim the first time. I will say this is the first time that the crust recipe totally tanked from the original recipe. When I pulled it out of the oven it had converted from the formed pie crust I inserted into the oven to a bubbling, buttery mess. I had decided I wanted to freeze the pie similar to a Grasshopper Pie I make so I created a crust recipe that was more friendly to that method and it turned out great.
When purchasing the chocolate for the pie I found the variations of chocolate irresistible and decided instead of the original bitter chocolate to use Dark Chocolate with Cherries from local (and nationally distributed) Choco-love. It seemed a great kick off to summer. As noted in the recipe other chocolate certainly can be substituted both to suit your palate and as is convenient in your area.
Recipe
Cherry Chocolate Chip Pie
Ingredients
- 24 Marshmallows
- ½ cup Milk
- 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 3.2-ounce bar Cherry Chocolate bar (or chocolate of your choice)
- 1 ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs regular or gluten-free
- 7 tablespoons Unsalted Butter melted; plus a bit more unmelted to butter the pie pan
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9 inch regular depth (not deep dish) pie pan with butter. Using a mixer (preferably a standing mixer with paddle attachment) combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Form a pie crust in the greased pan using fingers to press into a crust. Place in the freezer to set about 10-15 minutes.
- In a double boiler or in a metal boil over a pan of water, combine the marshmallows and milk. Stirring frequently allow marshmallows to fully melt and set aside.
- Using a free standing mixer and whisk attachment (or hand held mixer) combine the heavy whipping cream, vanilla and if desired food coloring; whip the cream. Fold into the marshmallow mixture. NOTE: the marshmallows and milk may have separated. Don’t worry about that just mix it all together.
Preparing the Chocolate:
- Finely grate 2/5’s of the bar, finely chop 2/5’s of the bar. Mix together and fold into pie filling smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Make chocolate curls with the remaining chocolate by pulling a vegetable peeler down the longest edge of the chocolate.
- Garnish the pie with chocolate curls and place into the freezer until frozen.
Jeff Rasmuss says
I know I should comment on the pie (because lets face it, it's awesome!) but I'm also loving the bbq pictures! The potatoes, the burgers… the lime soda! Amazing! I'm very jealous of your backyard dining!
Boulder Locavore says
There IS something about eating outside, is there not? I don't think I ever make burgers indoors and much more enjoy eating them outside as well. Thanks for your compliments Jeff; all the food was great.
Emma @ Food, Fork and Good says
Ahh man, this looks amazing and photos are fantastic!! Is it a bitter pie or is it quite sweet?
Boulder Locavore says
Hi Emma. Thank you! The pie is well balanced actually. The marshmallows are really the only sweetner in the filling other than the chocolate since you do not add sugar to the cream when whipping it. I really can't take overly sweet desserts and this one was pretty perfect. I could not quite picture it with the original 1951 recipes 'bitter chocolate'. I bought bitter chocolate then opted for the cherry chocolate which being dark is not overly sweet either.
Pegasuslegend says
your photos are spectacular!
Boulder Locavore says
Thank you Claudia and thanks for popping by!
Lisa @ Tarte du Jour says
This pie is the perfect kick-off to the summer! I must say that my husband and I are trying a gluten free diet for 30 days to see if we feel over all better. We are not necessarily gluten intolerant but we are giving it a try! I'll be combing your site for good gluten-free recipes. Do you have any favorites to reccommend?
Boulder Locavore says
What are you in the mood for? You know all my recipes are naturally gluten free or indicate gluten free options so everything here is 'safe'. I'm certainly happy to help you; we could email about it. Sticking to whole foods is always easiest. Obviously pasta and bread-pastry-cake products would have gluten. The tricky area are sauces. Essentially it requires knowing everything in the food you eat. That is not a bad thing. I know my kids are growing up much more informed and making smarter food choices overall than I did as a kid!
Baker Street says
The chocolate cherry combination sounds heavenly! What a gorgeous pie! Love it.
Boulder Locavore says
Thank you! I too felt it was a bit more seasonal than regular Chocolate Chip (though I'm sure that is delicious too). My family has loved eating it frozen since it is so light in texture.
April says
this looks and sounds delicious! love the combo of flavors for the perfect summer dessert!
Boulder Locavore says
Thank you April, I'm glad it sounds good to you too! I took a chance and was really pleased with the end result. Hope you'll try it!
Awkward Kitchenette says
Yum! Beautiful and yummy! Can't wait to try it out!
Boulder Locavore says
I hope you will! I'm off to check out your blog in just a minute too.
Becky says
This is a gorgeous pie and I love the the choco-cherry combo. I will have to look for choco-love bars or substitute with another flavor.
Boulder Locavore says
I agree Becky. When I was picking up the chocolate I just couldn't resist giving this a bit different flavor. And then a little color to go with the flavor! I hope you'll have the chance to make it yourself. It has been a big hit at my house.
Angie's Recipes says
What a heavenly treat!
Boulder Locavore says
Thank you Angie. It's really delicious.
adventuresomekitchen says
I want a piece! I would have no self control though, and shamefully would eat the whole thing myself! I love choco-love chocolate!
Boulder Locavore says
No shame to be had! Life is short. I love Chocolove too. Makes it very fun to switch it up in a recipe like this with so many choices.