Chocolate Espresso Pie Bars

Chocolate Espresso Pie Bars

These are a wonderful way to have chocolate pie without rolling out a pie crust!
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Servings: 45 bars
Course: Thanksgiving
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted, plus more for brushing pan
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter cut into large cubes
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 eggs

Method
 

Crust
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.              
  2. Brush a 13" x 9" rimmed cookie sheet with melted butter.  Line the baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving a 1" overhang.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the flour with brown sugar and salt, mixing with a fork.
  4. Drizzle in the 2 sticks of melted butter and stir with a fork until a lumpy dough forms.
  5. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared baking sheet.  Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
  6.  Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill the top with pie weights.
  7. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and continue baking until very light brown.  Transfer the crust to a wire rack to cool for one hour.
Filling
  1. Reduce the oven to 325°.
  2. Make the filling in a double boiler over simmering water.
  3. Melt the diced butter with the chocolate chips, stirring occasionally until smooth.
  4. Stir in the vanilla and remove the bowl from heat.
  5. Whisk in the granulated sugar, espresso, cinnamon, and salt until blended.
  6. Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
  7. Pour the filling into the cooled crust.  Bake for about 30-45 minutes or until the center is set and the top begins to crack.  
  8. Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours.  Cut into bars.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine Magazine.