GUINNESS & HARP "BLACK & TAN" STYLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE

BLACK & TAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE

A new reader of The Reader’s Piegest sent us an email about a week back with a comment:

“Dude, you totally need to make a pie with beer!”

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.  And then some, really.  Because, let’s face it.  There are a few things that are amazingly comforting after a hard day or long week, a piece of pie or a cold beer.  That being said, we took up the gauntlet, and the result was a pie plate of awesome.

One of my favorite beers, and that of many people I know, is Guinness.  To some, it’s a little to heavy, and often equated to motor oil due to its rich, dark, and thick flavor.  That said, it’s still an amazing stout beer.  Particularly when  you pair it with another Guinness brew, Harp Lager.  Bartenders and connoisseurs alike will tell you that there’s really nothing like a “Black & Tan”, which is a Harp lager poured into a glass, half full, and topped off with Guinness stout.  The Guinness will separate from the Harp to the top of the glass, resulting in a beautiful effect which gives the drink its name – the dark Guinness on the top, the tan Harp at the bottom. 

Remembering a few of these being consumed in my past, it dawned on me:  Why can’t you do that with beer infused chocolate mousse?  Now, here’s where we run into a challenge – you have to do the reverse with the chocolate - Dark chocolate & Guinness mousse on the bottom, topped with a milk chocolate & Harp mousse on the top.  Not even a TRUE Black & Tan!  Shenanigans, you say!!   Well, hang onto your shelaleigh…It’s AMAZING.  Particularly when you try it with the “pop the pennies of the eyelids of a dead Irishman” pie crust we paired it with.  You’re going to love this one, even if the layers are the reverse of the drink.  You still get the great combination of the Guinness and Harp, the chocolate really sets off the flavors, and you’re sure to enjoy it!

Now, speaking of awesome, I need to thank a few people.  First and foremost, I should mention, I’m not exactly the most knowledgeable about beer.  Fortunately, I have some amazing friend – Chris Last, Scott Borlick, and Rick Kakouris of Groundlings Brewing Company.  Not only do these gentlemen create some of the most amazing independently brewed craft beers, they’re also extremely fantastic resources in the world of beer.  If you’re a Facebook user, check them out:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/GroundlingBrewing

Now…before a certain beer-pie challenger in Ohio (you know who you are!), and the rest of you get antsy, let’s move on to that pie.

BLACK & TAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE:

**NOTE:  THIS RECIPE MAKES 2 PIES.

PIE CRUST:

·         2 Cups Pretzels, Crushed

·         1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

·         10 Tbs. Unsalted Butter, Melted

·         1 Rasher Bacon

·         ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pan fry or cook bacon in the oven.  Allow to cool fully, and pat down bacon with a paper towel to remove as much grease as possible before crumbling.   In a medium bowl, mix together pretzels, graham cracker crumbs, butter and brown sugar.  Stir together with a rubber spatula until well incorporated. 

Divide mixture between two 8 or 9-inch pie plates. Bake for 10 minutes.  Cool completely before filling.

GUINNESS DARK CHOCOLATE LAYER:

·         8 Large Egg Yolks

·         1 Cup Sugar

·         1 Cup Guinness Draught

·         2 1/4 Cups Heavy Cream

·         8 Oz. Dark Chocolate, Evenly Chopped

·         1/4 Cup Cornstarch

HARP MILK CHOCOLATE LAYER:

·         8 Large Egg Yolks

·         1 Cup Sugar

·         1 Cup Harp Lager

·         2 1/4 Cups Heavy Cream

·         4 Oz. White Chocolate, Evenly Chopped

·         4 Oz. Milk Chocolate, Evenly Chopped

·         1/4 Cup Cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a non-reactive bowl.

Pour 1 cup of Guinness in a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan. Add heavy cream and whisk to combine.  Set over medium-high heat and cook until very hot, but not boiling.  Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate.   When chocolate has melted, whisk in the egg mixture in a very thin stream as to not scramble the egg.  Whisk in cornstarch and return to heat source.  Whisk over medium heat until thickened.

Divide mixture between pie pans.  Use a rubber spatula to effectively remove all the pudding from the saucepan; quickly smooth the chocolate into the crust.  Refrigerate 2 hours.

While Dark Chocolate & Guinness layer is cooling/setting in the refrigerator, begin preparations for the Milk Chocolate & Harp layer about 20 minutes before your original 2 hour cooling is up.  Prepare the Milk Chocolate & Harp layer exactly as directed above for the layer that has just cooled.  Add one additional step once thickened:  remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken enough that it is still able to be poured or spooned quickly on top of the darker chocolate layer.  Refrigerate Immediately After Topping With Milk Chocolate Later for 2 Hours.