Weekend Recipe: Chocolate Chess Pie

Whether you credit Southerners or 17th-century English settlers for introducing this glorious custard pie to the world, one thing is certain: you'll love this version from America's Test Kitchen!

Chocolate Chess Pie
Serves 8 to 12

1 (9-inch) store-bought pie dough round
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough into 12-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto greased 9-inch pie plate, letting excess dough hang over edge. Ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into plate bottom with your other hand.

Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of plate. Tuck overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of plate. Crimp dough evenly around edge of pie using your fingers. Wrap dough-lined plate loosely in plastic and freeze until dough is firm, about 15 minutes.

Line chilled pie shell with 2 (12-inch) squares of parchment paper, letting parchment lie over edges of dough, and fill with pie weights. Bake until lightly golden around edges, 18 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove parchment and weights, rotate crust, and continue to bake until center begins to look opaque and slightly drier, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Microwave butter and chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes. In separate bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups sugar, flour, and salt together until combined. Whisk eggs and yolks, cream, and vanilla into sugar mixture until combined. Whisk chocolate mixture into sugar-egg mixture until fully incorporated and no streaks remain.

Pour filling into cooled pie shell. Sprinkle top of pie with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake until center of pie is just set and registers 180 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes. (Slight crust will form on top.) Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely, about 4 hours. Serve. (Pie can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)