Chocolate Cream Pie with Tawny Port

By ltrodrigu

Chef's Pick: Niepoort 10 Year Tawny Port
Wine Spectator Alternates: Ferreira Tawny Port 10 Year Old Quinta do Porto NV (91, $32)
Ramos-Pinto Tawny Port 10 Year Old Quinta da Ervamoira NV (90, $41)

Ingredients

• 1 pâte sucrée crust, blind-baked in a greased 10-inch pan, cooled
• 6 egg yolks, from extra-large eggs
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 7-ounce Valrhona Ivoire 35 percent white chocolate block
• 2 cups heavy cream, whipped

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from winespectator.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar and cocoa powder until blended. Pour the milk, heavy cream and salt into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat to a simmer. Slowly pour it into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until blended, then pour back into the saucepan.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and thoroughly with a spatula, until the pudding is thick enough to heavily coat the spatula and hold a line drawn through it with your finger, about 3 to 5 minutes. It will be 170° F on a candy thermometer. Do not boil.

Slide the pan from the heat, and add the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour the pudding through a fine-meshed strainer into the pre-baked piecrust.

Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or overnight. If chilling overnight, cover the pie in plastic wrap.

Preheat oven to 250˚ F.

Bake white chocolate on a piece of parchment paper for 30 to 40 minutes. The chocolate will appear to melt slightly after 10 to 15 minutes, but will hold its shape while it caramelizes. After slow-roasting, it will look tan, but the center will be caramel in color. Allow to cool completely. Crumb over the pie.

Top with whipped cream (which should rise at least as high as the depth of the chocolate) and garnish with roasted white chocolate crumbles. Serve immediately. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.