Chef notes
Summer is the perfect time for pie. Too bad the heat makes turning on the oven so unappealing. But there is a delicious solution: no-bake pie! No-bake pies come together quickly and easily with very little work and just a short rest in the fridge.
This chocolate raspberry beauty starts with crushed cookies, melted butter and salt. The cookies are processed in a food processor to get them down to uniform crumbs. This step can be done by hand, but since this crust doesn’t bake in an oven, it’s important that the crumbs be small and uniform.
The luscious mousse-like filling is made with melted chocolate, which is folded together with billowy whipped cream. A little bit of instant espresso powder intensifies the chocolate flavor while vanilla extract rounds it all out.
Just before serving, the pie is topped with a bit of store-bought raspberry jam and a tumble of fresh berries. For a more refined finish, the seeds can be strained out of the jam but either way, the jam adds the perfect sweet-tart finish to this decadent dessert.
Technique Tip: Use chopped bar chocolate instead of chips. Chocolate chips, with their added stabilizers, create an overly stiff filling.
Swap Option: Try chocolate wafers, gingersnaps or even shortbread cookies instead of chocolate sandwich cookies in the crumb crust.
For a fun, campfire-inspired version, use graham crackers for the crust. Top the chilled pie with marshmallows and toast them until golden brown and puffed using a kitchen torch.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1½ cups heavy cream, divided
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons raspberry jam, strained if desired
- 1 pint raspberries
Preparation
1.Prepare the crust. In a food processor, crush the cookies until you have fine crumbs. Add the butter and salt and process until evenly moistened. Transfer the crumbs into a 9-inch springform pan and press them down into an even layer on the bottom and about half an inch up the sides. Transfer to the freezer while you prepare the filling.
2.Prepare the filling: Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup heavy cream, espresso powder and salt until hot but not boiling. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let it stand for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
3.In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining heavy cream until you have stiff peaks. Add the chocolate mixture and gently fold to combine. Pour the mixture over the prepared crust and spread it out into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours. To serve, remove the pan sides and transfer the pie to a serving plate. Spread the jam evenly over the top of the pie and top with the fresh raspberries.
