I don't know where I first tried Chocolate Fudge Pie, but I remember thinking it tasted like a brownie disguised as pie and feeling mildly irritated because it was not chocolate cream. From that point, I never bothered with fudge pie recipes, but then last week I found a version handwritten by my mother. Feeling nostalgic (and like I needed to get rid of an extra frozen pie crust leftover from Thanksgiving), I decided to try my mom's recipe.
This fudge pie calls for for ½ cup butter, 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, some vanilla and about ⅓ cup flour. Because it is designed to fill an 8 inch pie crust and my crust was a deep dish 9 inch, I looked for a similar recipe with a slightly higher yield. The Old Farmer's Almanac had one which was almost identical but with more filling and an extra egg yolk. It called for a 10 inch crust, so I opted to just stick with the 9 inch and use only as much filling as needed. I also added some walnuts.
The pie was pretty much exactly as I remembered it, but softer and less like a brownie than I imagined. Todd loved it, but I probably wouldn't serve it often because it is extremely rich. It's good for when you're in the mood for something a little over the top (in which case ice cream is a requirement) or you have to pull some kind of pie together for an event. It's easy, doesn't have to be refrigerated, and will be enjoyed by all chocolate lovers. In short, it's a good recipe to keep around, but if you have a better one, let me know. I've seen a few versions made with cocoa powder, and one made with biscuit mix. Paula Deen has one that's almost exactly like my mom's, and Ina Garten has one made with semisweet chocolate chips. Maybe I'll try them all.
Recipe
Chocolate Fudge Pie
Ingredients
- 9 inch deep dish pie shell unbaked or partially baked if you like a crisper crust
- ¾ cup 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 3 large eggs and 1 egg yolk
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup toasted and chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. and set the pie shell on a baking sheet.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted. Let cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and egg yolk for about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and continue beating for another minute or so. Beat in the salt and vanilla, then scrape in the melted chocolate. By hand, stir in the flour.
- Sprinkle the toasted walnuts across bottom of your pie crust, then pour filling over the nuts. If you used a 9 inch deep dish pie shell, you’ll have a little more filling than you need, so pour just enough filling into the pie crust so that it comes almost to the top rim.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the pie appears set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Serve the pie with ice cream and chocolate syrup.
Anna says
Thanks! I'll take note of that.
Im At Home Baking says
This looks amazingly yummy!
Sue says
I've never made fudge pie, but I think I'd like a skinny sliver of it!! It looks really good but really rich in a good way!
vanillasugarblog says
OK kiddo you're fabulous interview is up!!!
Anna says
Thanks! I forgot all about that one.
thesweetestpea says
I have made a Sweetheart Fudge Pie from a years old Southern Living magazine and it's in at least one of their cookbooks. I think it's more like this one and less like a brownie pie and it has walnuts in it. Here's the link -- it has brown sugar and chocolate chips. I love it but the hubs didn't, so I rarely make it as I don't need to eat a whole fudge pie!!!
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sweetheart-fudge-pie-10000000410667/
Jennifer says
I have never even heard of, much less tried, a fudge pie. Now I'm curious. Of course, I think I'll let you do the "leg work" and see if you post a "best" fudge pie. (No pressure!)
Anna says
Cindy, that pie is kind of in the same category as this one -- really simple, but well-loved. I used to make it on occasion, but now I live near someone from Kentucky so I let her make it!
Cookie Sleuth says
I love making old family recipes at this time of year!
CindyD says
Have you ever made Kentucky Derby pie? It's sort of like chocolate chip cookies in pie form. There are other names for the same thing but I can't think of them now.
Anna says
Thanks for all the suggestions, especially the one from Maida Heatter. That's definitely going on the list.
Maida's
Ina's
Something I saw somewhere with cocoa powder
Something I saw somewhere with Bisquick
I wonder if Cook's Illustrated has compared Fudge Pies yet?
karen says
Maida Heatter has a good one. The one I like is here, a little hard to read:
http://boards.epicurious.com/thread.jspa?messageID=441557&tstart=0
There's another version from Maida that came up when I searched that I have not tried.
KAnn says
I worked at a country club for a bit while I was in college and this was on their menu and I loved it! I have seen Ina's recipe (have the book, in fact) but I have never made it. Thanks for reminding me to try one of these versions some day!
Gloria says
I hope you try them all - I need to lose weight!! This looks like the best chocolate pie I've seen in a while!!!
Martha says
I love reading your posts and how you analyze recipes. You're like the Nancy Drew of dessert recipes! (This is meant to be a total compliment. I loved Nancy Drew as a kid.)