Brownie Pie

By now, I'm sure you are all aware and addicted to Pinterest.  For those of you who have not heard of this new, very addicting, site let me tell you a little bit about it.  It is a virtual pin board that will help you keep track of DIY projects, recipes, clothing, and elements of your dream home and everything in between.  As I have said it is very addicting and it doesn't take long to real you in.  It is, however, very handy.  It keeps all of your interests in one place that can be accessed from anywhere there is internet.  This is not only convenient, but it helps eliminate frustration as well as the need to print out page after page of instructions, ideas, or recipes that you want to keep on hand, in a safe place, only to find that when you are ready for it you have lost it.  I can't tell you how many times I've gone to make a recipe only to find out that I can't find the recipe, let alone remember what website I found it on.  Those days are over, Pinterest is one of my new best friends, along with Google reader, I have everything in a centralized location and at my fingertips no matter where I am!  Okay, enough about my new found addiction, hobby, I mean virtual bulliten board.

How, you ask, did Pinterest come up and why is it relevant in any way to this post?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  Pinterest is how I first came across this deliciously, mouth-watering recipe for  brownie pie.  I love the blog Love and Olive Oil (if you haven't heard of it you must check it out!) and I have following it for quite some time but this specific recipe somehow slipped past me.  Luckily it was brought to my attention through another source and I quickly "pinned" it to my food board and just waited for the perfect occassion to make it...not that there really needs to be a reason for chocolate.

If you have been following this blog for any amount of time, you know that I am a HUGE chocolate fan.  There can honestly never be too much chocolate, in my opinion.  I have an equal enthusiasm for brownies.  There isn't much, if anything, that can beat a good, hot, chocolate-y, gooey brownie.  Brownies are a classic and pretty simple but there is something magical about that gooey, fudginess that is a brownie.  Could there really be anything that could make a brownie better?  Well, I thought not until I had this recipe.  This recipe takes brownies and puts them in a pie form.  Now for all of you edge and corner lovers out there, this is the recipe for you.  You not only get your fudgy brownie, but you get your crisp yet chewy edges in every bite. 

The brownie is prepared like normal but the difference is made by using a pie plate.  Instead of using a traditional 9x9 or 9x13 pan, a pie plate is used.  By using a pie plate, a "crust" is formed not only along of the bottom of the pie but around the edges too.  The end product is brownie in a pie form that has an edge on every piece.  It's incredibly easy to put together and even easier to eat.  Chocolate, salt and ooey gooey goodness in every bite!  My friends, it doesn't get any better than that!

Brownie Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup flour
1/3 Cup dark chocolate cocoa
1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 Large eggs, room temperature
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1/8 Tsp sea salt, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1/2 Cup dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate morsels
1 Cup fresh whipped cream (optional)
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Generously grease a 9-inch pie plate or 3 to 4 mini pie plates.

Combine sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt in a mixing bowl and beat at medium speed with an electric mixer. Beat in flour and cocoa. Stir in chocolate morsels. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 40 minutes (30 to 35 minutes for mini pie plates) or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve topped with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Recipe source:  Ingredients Inc. via Love and Olive Oil