If you’ve watched The Help, based on Kathryn Stockett’s novel of the same name, you will remember Minnie’s chocolate pie as an iconic symbol of sweet revenge. In the book and the movie, Minnie Jackson (played by Octavia Spencer) an African-American maid in 1960s Mississippi, bakes a chocolate pie with a shocking secret ingredient-her own excrement- to extract revenge from her former employee Hilly Holbrook (Jessica Chastain). This act of defiance is definitely a plot twist and powerful commentary on racial and social injustice that was prevalent at that time. The inclusion of that special ingredient was Minnie’s way to reclaim power and dignity to deliver a strong message to her insufferable former employer.
After watching that scene, some might just be put off by chocolate pie altogether, but Cadbury Dessert Corner brings to you a wholesome recipe, which is devoid of any unpleasant or revolting surprises. This yummy chocolate dessert recipe honors the Southern roots of the chocolate pie. It’s also really easy to make, so you won’t have to work too hard to get a delicious result. Here’s how you can make an authentic chocolate pie, without any hidden twists. This recipe comes from the movie’s food stylist Lee Ann Fleming, so you know that the final product is going to be amazing.
Ingredients:
For the pie shell:
- 160 g flour
- 113 g unsalted butter (very cold and cut into cubes)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 3-4 tbsp iced water
For the chocolate filling:
- 300 g sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa
- 60 g melted butter
- 2 eggs
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 small can evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Whipped cream for serving
Instructions:
- Ensure that your butter is cold, but not frozen. Cut into small cubes and put it back in the fridge until you measure and assemble the rest of the ingredients.
- Fill a small bowl with ice and water to prepare the iced water for the dough.
- Combine all of the dry ingredients – flour, salt and the granulated sugar – in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the chilled butter cubes into this mixture and incorporate it into the flour either using a pastry cutter or your fingers. Work the butter until you get a crumb-like mixture with some pea sized bits still remaining.
- Gradually add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, and bring the pastry dough together. You may not need to use up all the ice water.
- Pat dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Once the dough is chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface. The circle should be about 12 inches large and about ⅛ of an inch.
- Flip the rolled out pie dough onto a pie tin. Tuck the bottom, and the sides, then trim my excess.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 190 C.
- Like the chilled crust with parchment paper, add some uncooked rice or beans, then place the pie tin in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Then take it out of the oven, remove the parchment paper and the uncooked rice. Prick the pie crust with a fork.
- Then pop it in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes. Let it cool down.
- Then combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until thick and smooth.
- Pour this mixture into the pie crust and bake in the oven for 45 minutes at 190 C.
- After this, the chocolate pie should be firm. It might deflate a little as it cools down.
- Serve a cooled slice of the pie with some whipped cream.