About
Nothing says "it's Christmastime" like candy. Peppermint Pie incorporates the pinnacle of Christmas candy, and you are going to love it! A double chocolate crust is loaded with a peppermint-infused gelatin filling. It's topped with all the good stuff—like fluffy meringue, shredded chocolate, and even more crushed peppermints—so you can soak up all the peppermint flavor you adore. A generous slice of Peppermint Pie is clearly a great way to help ring in this special time of year. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Ingredients
- For the chocolate crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more, to taste, for dusting a work surface
- 1/4 cup sweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons water, ice-cold, plus more, to taste
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 5 teaspoons coconut oil
- For the filling:
- 1 1/2 cups water, room temperature, plus 2 cups, cold, divided
- 3 (.25-ounce) packages unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- For the meringue:
- water, to taste
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 10 soft peppermints, crushed, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- chocolate, to taste, grated, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 -In a food processor, add 1 cup of the flour, the cocoa powder, the confectioners' sugar, the vegetable oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of the fine salt and pulse until it forms the texture of fine meal.
Step 2 -Add the butter to the flour mixture and pulse until pea-sized pieces form.
Step 3 -Add 2 tablespoons of the ice-cold water to the crust mixture and pulse until the dough begins to come together. If the dough does not hold together, add up to 2 additional tablespoons of the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse again to combine.
Step 4 -On a sheet of plastic wrap, add the dough and pat it into a disk. Wrap it tightly and place it in the refrigerator to chill until it is firm, for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Step 5 -Use the extra flour to dust a work surface.
Step 6 -Place the dough on the prepared work surface and use a rolling pin to roll it into a 12-inch circle.
Step 7 -Carefully place the dough round into a 9-inch pie plate.
Step 8 -Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edges.
Step 9 -Place the pie plate in the freezer and let the dough chill, about 20 minutes.
Step 10 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 11 -Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray.
Step 12 -Transfer the pie plate from the freezer and use a fork to pierce all over the bottom of the crust several times.
Step 13 -Place the prepared aluminum foil on top of the dough, greased-side down, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Step 14 -Bake the crust until the edges are set, about 20 minutes.
Step 15 -Discard the aluminum foil and the pie weights and bake until the crust is no longer glossy on the bottom, about 5-10 minutes.
Step 16 -Transfer the baked crust to a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Step 17 -In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, add the chopped bittersweet chocolate and the coconut oil and cook in the microwave, in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until it is melted and smooth, about 1 minute total.
Step 18 -Use a pastry brush to lightly coat a thin layer of the chocolate mixture all over the bottom and up the sides of the crust.
Step 19 -Let the crust set at room temperature until the chocolate has hardened, about 15 minutes.
Step 20 -In a medium saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups of the room temperature water and evenly sprinkle it with the gelatin. Let it sit until the gelatin has absorbed, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 21 -Turn the stovetop heat on to medium.
Step 22 -Add 1 cup of the granulated sugar to the gelatin mixture and heat, whisking occasionally, just until the gelatin and the sugar have dissolved, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 23 -Transfer the gelatin mixture from the heat and whisk in 1/2 teaspoon of the peppermint extract.
Step 24 -In a large bowl, add the gelatin mixture and 2 cups of the cold water and stir to combine. Use a spoon to scoop away any of the bubbles at the surface.
Step 25 -Let the filling mixture chill in the refrigerator, stirring every 10 minutes, until it begins to thicken and is the consistency of thin fruit jelly, about 30-45 minutes.
Step 26 -Evenly pour the filling into the crust.
Step 27 -Place the pie in the refrigerator and let it chill until it has set, for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Step 28 -When ready to serve, in a pot large enough to hold a large, heatproof bowl above the water, over medium heat, add the extra water and bring it to a boil.
Step 29 -In a large, heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, add the remaining sugar, the lemon juice, the remaining salt, and the egg whites and whisk to combine.
Step 30 -Pour the sugar mixture into the boiling water and whisk until the mixture has reached 150 degrees F and the sugar has completely dissolved.
Step 31 -Carefully return the bowl to the stand mixer and fit it with the whisk attachment.
Step 32 -Turn the stand mixer on medium-high speed.
Step 33 -Add the remaining peppermint extract to the sugar mixture and beat until the meringue is cool and the egg whites hold stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.
Step 34 -Sprinkle the 10 crushed peppermints around the edges of the pie.
Step 35 -Slice the pie.
Step 36 -Serve the pie slices topped with the meringue, the extra crushed peppermints, and the grated chocolate.
