Chocolate blended with a hefty dose of coffee produces the rich and stimulating taste of mocha. These well-matched flavors give such an illusion of lightness that this pie is a dandy finish to a substantial but simple dinner.
Makes one 9-inch pie
Crumb Crust for a 9-inch pie shell, made with graham crackers or chocolate wafer cookies (page 32)
1 tablespoon (about 1¼ envelopes) unflavored gelatin
½ cup cold water
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
3 ounces (3 squares) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites
⅔ cup heavy (whipping) cream
Form and bake the crumb crust as directed in the recipe. Cool completely before filling.
Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and let it stand for a few minutes to soften. Combine the milk, coffee, and chocolate in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over moderate heat. Whisk or stir frequently for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the chocolate melts. Remove from the heat and continue to stir for a minute, then add ½ cup of the sugar, egg yolks, and salt, and whisk until blended. Return to moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly and you see wisps of steam rising. Do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the softened gelatin. Return to moderate heat and whisk for about 1 minute more to melt the gelatin, but do not let the mixture boil. Immediately pour into a large bowl and stir in the vanilla.
Refrigerate, stirring every 10 minutes, until the mixture is cool and beginning to thicken and hold its shape, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
About 5 minutes before you anticipate the mocha mixture to be ready, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until they form soft peaks. Add the remaining ½ cup sugar and beat until the whites stand in stiff peaks. In a separate, medium bowl, whip the cream until it too stands in soft peaks; you may use the same beaters.
Scoop the whipped cream onto the beaten whites, then pour the chocolate mixture on top. Using a rubber spatula or a large wooden spoon, fold everything together quickly yet gently until you see no drifts of unblended white. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pie crust, mounding it in the center. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.