Hurricane Chocolate Pie

We survived hurricane Irene.  I’d like to think this pie had something to do with our survival, but that would be an egotistical fiction since we did not lose power for more than two or three hours on Saturday night.  Nevertheless, this chocolate pie improved my aunt and uncle’s and my morale once they returned from golf on Saturday afternoon.  I baked this on Friday after work because I figured pie would be tastier than unbaked piecrust and straight up silken tofu if we lost power.

Chocolate Pie

makes one 9-inch pie, regular depth (about 2 inches)

1 recipe roll-out piecrust, chilled

1 pound silken tofu (firm or soft)

4 ounces plain soy yoghurt

4 ounces vegan cream cheeze

1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2-3/4  cup maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Grease a 9-inch diameter glass pie plate.

On a piece of waxed paper sprinkled with a spoonful of brown rice flour, roll out piecrust to about ¼ inch thickness, and flip into pie plate.  Fix it up to seal any gaps and crimp the edges (if you care about that sort of thing).

In a blender, whiz the tofu, yoghurt, and cream cheeze until blended.  Add the powdery ingredients (cocoa and cornstarch) and poke them down into the tofu.  Puree that for a minute, then add the liquid ingredients and puree completely.  Pour filling into piecrust (not all the way to the top—there will be some extra filling), place pie plate on foil-lined pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the filling cracks around the edges and the crust is brown.  Cool in the oven with the door partway open for 30 minutes.  Cool completely before refrigerating.  Chill for two hours or overnight before serving.  Serve with rice whip or whipped cream for that Minnie’s pie vibe.

Uses for extra filling: chill and eat it straight up.  Bake it in a ramekin.  Freeze it to make fudge pops.  Make tiramisu with whatever cookies or cupcakes or pancakes you have handy; layer coffee-dipped cookies, filling, and some cocoa powder and cinnamon, until the filling is all gone.  Chill before serving.

I watched The Shining on Saturday afternoon while the rain knocked on the house.  I was clutching my Totoro doll during the tense moments.   When Jack is locked in the food pantry, I had to rewind it because I wanted to hear the dialogue again, and watching Jack Nicholson’s facial expressions in reverse is just as convincing as watching them forwards.

Q