Often when I get a new cookbook, the first thing I look at is the dessert section. It is sort of like reading the book backwards, from back to front. I figure, if the desserts are good, everything else will be. Some say you should always check the veggie section first, and there’s good logic for that, but I always start with dessert.When eating out, I do usually judge a restaurant by how well, or not, they cook the vegetables. In cookbooks, though, I start with the desserts.
This brand new book did not disappoint. Thomas Gosney’s Method of Procedure is a wonderful book, great recipes, beautiful photography, and oh yes, he is one heck of a chef. Immediately I saw the chocolate pie recipe, and thought, have to try that one, no two ways about it. You will be seeing a couple of his recipes in upcoming blogs, so taken was I by this book.
This is a chocolate pie unlike any others I have made. It starts with a crumb crust consisting of granola and macadamia nuts ground together, and bound with melted butter, like an extravagant graham cracker crust, only better. The filling consists of silken or extra soft tofu with over half a pound of chocolate. (That must be the reason right there why I liked it so much.)
That’s it. Nothing fancy, but the results sure are. Thomas decorated his pie with raspberries and macadamia nuts, I used mint leaves and macadamia nuts. There is a trick to this pie, in that you have to combine the filling ingredients extremely quickly, or as he says, you’ll have a mess. Listen to the man. I can see how that would happen. But the results are super worth it. Here’s the recipe:
Healthy Chocolate Silk Pie w/Gluten Free Macadamia Crust
Ingredients
• 24 oz. silken or extra soft tofu
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 cubs gluten free granola
• 1 tbsp melted butter, or vegan butter (I used a little more)
• 1 cup macadamia nuts, save 16 for garnish
• 16 raspberries, for garnish
Directions
I will give Thomas’ method exactly, with any changes I’ve made in parenthesis.
1. Pour granola, melted butter, and macadamia nuts into blender (I used a food processor). Make sure to take out 16 for the garnish. Blend until granola and nuts grind up finely. You will have to stop and stir several times to make this happen. This will ensure you won’t burn up the motor.
2. Pour mixture into pie dish and press with spoon on the sides and bottom to form a tight crust.
3. Wash out blender. Place tofu into blender and blend until creamy smooth, set aside.
4. Break chocolate into small pieces and place in a double boiler. A pot of water with a stainless steel bowl or glass Pyrex will do nicely. The water temperature should only be slightly simmering and turn off heat.
5. Place bowl on top to melt chocolate. The melting point of chocolate is 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the water is not too hot or you will have problems.
6. When the chocolate is completely melted remove from double boiler.
7. Using a wire whip pour the tofu into the chocolate, whipping rapidly until the mixture completely incorporates. DO THIS VERY FAST AND DON’T STOP! It only takes a minute, if not, you will have a lumpy mess. (I also warmed up the tofu in the microwave a little, to facilitate the blending, and hopefully not seizing the chocolate.) Make sure to add tofu to chocolate, not the other way.
8. Use a rubber spatula to pour mix into pie dish, smooth out top.
9. Garnish with macadamia nuts and raspberries around the sides, alternating each one. (I used alternating mint leaves and nuts, as you will see in the photo.) Place the remaining in the center. Chill for 1 hour.
Yield 8 to 10 servings.
Notes: Gosney, Thomas. Method of Procedure. Xlibris, 2015.
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