EspañolThe holidays overflow with color, music, family and yummy food. Saving time and stress in the kitchen allows us more time to enjoy it all with the ones we love. That's why using a few hacks and shortcuts to speed things up can be so important during this busy season. So, this year I've decided to surprise my family with this easy, fast, flaky, creamy Mexican chocolate pie à la mode with Cinnamon Drizzle.
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I know it will look fabulous on either our Thanksgiving or Christmas table. But beyond that, this Mexican Chocolate Pie proves you don't have to give up quality or taste to do things quickly. It takes just 10 minutes to prep and only about an hour to finish including prep, baking, decoration and clean up.
Thanks to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) for making this Mexican Chocolate Pie a la mode with cinnamon drizzle post possible. My comments, opinions, and love for saving time in the kitchen while preparing luscious desserts are my own!
What is Mexican Chocolate?
To get us started, what is Mexican chocolate? Mexican chocolate is a blend of chocolate, cinnamon, sugar, and, for me, even sometimes a hint of spicy pepper like cayenne, chipotle or chile ancho.
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Chocolate originates from Mexico and is one of its many gifts to the world. We're proud of that heritage and everyone in our home, from the kids to grandma, love it. We just can't say no to a little bit of chocolate in almost any form.
Hack Numero Uno
Here's the first thing to do to save time and effort when making this pie. Instead of making a crust from scratch, use a Marie Callender's frozen Pastry Pie Shell. I did. Since pies are what Marie Callender's do all year long, their flaky and delicious pastry pie shells have always turned out beautifully for me.
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They are not only yummy and flaky, what you would expect from a pie shell, but they're fast and easy, too. They literally go from freezer to oven. What could be more convenient? Also, there's no clean-up involved, I just save the aluminum pie pan or drop it in the recycling bin.
The package comes with two pastry pie shells, for this recipe, use one and leave the other in the freezer for another occasion, I bet you will use it in no time during the holiday season.
à La Mode is Best
This pie is meant to be served à la mode. I created it with this in mind. I used Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream because its natural cream and vanilla blend beautifully with, and balance, the pungent spice and pleasantly bitter chocolate of the pie.
Believe me, don't skip it, you will thank me later.
If you make your own Mexican chocolate pie, be sure to snap a photo and share it with us on social media using the #mamalatinatipsrecipes hashtag. I’d love to see it and have a chance to share it as well.
Mexican Chocolate Pie with Cinnamon Drizzle
One 9 inch pie – Prep time: 10 minutes – Start to finish: 1 hr (including 35-40 minutes of baking)
Ingredients
For the Pie
Start to finish: 1 hour (including 35-40 minutes of baking)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 8 oz semisweet baking chocolate
- 3/4 cups whipping cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 Marie Callender's Frozen Pastry Pie Shell
For the Cinnamon Drizzle
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Serving
- Confectioner's sugar for decoration, optional
- Breyers Natural Vanilla Ice Cream
Process
For the Pie
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (approx 176 degrees C).
Mix together cinnamon, chipotle pepper, salt and cornstarch with a fork, this is an important step, make sure they are mixed together well, so you don't end up with “pockets” of pure pepper in the pie. Set aside.
Combine chocolate, cream, milk and butter in a heat-resistant glass bowl large enough to fit on top of a heavy bottomed pot. Pour a cup of water in the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce temperature and place heat-resistant glass bowl with chocolate mixture over the pot to create a double boiler. Whisk constantly until chocolate is melted.
Pour chocolate mixture into another glass bowl and let it cool down for 3 minutes.
Fold in dry ingredients. Add eggs and whisk until combined. You will end with a silky liquid.
Pour mixture into the frozen Marie Callender's Pastry Pie Shell and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out cleanly.
For the Cinnamon Drizzle
While the Mexican chocolate pie is baking, prepare the cinnamon drizzle.
Mix sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Don't disturb it, let it boil on its own, you can just swirl the pan a little if needed.
When the caramel turns very pale beige. Don't take your eyes off it, sugar burns very quickly. Remove from heat, add butter and cream, mix well. Bring to heat again. When it starts to boil, turn off and remove from heat.
Add cinnamon and vanilla and stir until combined. Strain into a heat-resistant glass jar.
Serving the Pie
Let it cool down to your preference. Decorate with confectioner's sugar if you like. If you like my design, I used a crocheted napkin, you can use something similar or make a stencil with parchment paper.
Serve with vanilla ice cream and cinnamon drizzle.
Save Time & Stress in the Kitchen
Did you know the frozen food aisle has over 3,700 products made from real ingredients, prepared and seasoned by expert chefs in real kitchens?
I invite you to open your own freezer and explore which products you already have there. You might be surprised by how many can save you time and stress in the kitchen this holiday season. Be sure to come back and share your hacks with us. If you share them on social media, remember to tag them with the #mamalatinatipsrecipes hashtag, so we all can see and share your masterpieces, too.
For even more inspiration, be sure to check out these delicious ideas from NFRA at www.EasyHomeMeals.com, our “Cool Food Panel” board on Pinterest and follow the #EasyHomeMeals hashtag on social media.
Enjoy!
Print the Mexican Chocolate Pie with Cinnamon Drizzle Recipe
Mexican Chocolate Pie with Cinnamon Drizzle
Ingredients
For the Pie
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 8 oz semisweet baking chocolate
- 3/4 cups whipping cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 Marie Callender's Pastry Pie Shell
For the Cinnamon Drizzle
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Serving
- Confectioner sugar for decoration optional
- Breyers Natural Vanilla Ice Cream
Instructions
For the Pie
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (approx 176 degrees C).
- Mix together cinnamon, chipotle pepper, salt and cornstarch with a fork, this is an important step, make sure they are mixed together well, so you don't end up with “pockets” of pure pepper in the pie. Set aside.
- Combine chocolate, cream, milk and butter in a heat-resistant glass bowl large enough to fit on top of a heavy bottomed pot. Pour a cup of water in the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce temperature and place heat-resistant glass bowl with chocolate mixture over the pot to create a double boiler. Whisk constantly until chocolate is melted.
- Pour chocolate mixture into another glass bowl and let it cool down for 3 minutes.
- Fold in dry ingredients. Add eggs and whisk until combined. You will end with a silky liquid.
- Pour mixture into the frozen Marie Callender's Pastry Pie Shell and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out cleanly.
For the Cinnamon Drizzle
- While the Mexican chocolate pie is baking, prepare the cinnamon drizzle.
- Mix sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Don't disturb it, let it boil on its own, you can just swirl the pan a little if needed.
- When the caramel turns very pale beige. Don't take your eyes off it, sugar burns very quickly. Remove from heat, add butter and cream, mix well. Bring to heat again. When it starts to boil, turn off and remove from heat.
- Add cinnamon and vanilla and stir until combined. Strain into a heat-resistant glass jar.
Serving the Pie
- Let it cool down to your preference. Decorate with confectioner's sugar if you like. If you like my design, I used a crocheted napkin, you can use something similar or make a stencil with parchment paper.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @mamalatina on Instagram and hashtag it #mamalatinatips
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