Recipe Background
Summertime Pie combines chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows for a nostalgic, make-ahead treat.
The balmy summer I learned to ride a bike without training wheels remains a vivid memory. My grandparents owned a cozy beach house, and every afternoon was a sun-soaked adventure. On one particular day, my grandmother handed me a graham cracker as a reward for my cycling triumph, and that flavor forever etched itself into my mind as the taste of summer. It was no wonder that years later, when creating a dessert to celebrate long, lazy beach days, graham crackers became the perfect base. I always love crushing them with a bit of melted butter in my food processor—it feels like the beginning of something wonderful.
As life took its course, I found myself fondly recalling that summer with each bite of my Summertime Pie. The secret lies in whisking the cocoa into the simmering milk and cream, allowing the nostalgic aroma to embrace you. Stirring in chopped bittersweet chocolate and a splash of vanilla rounds out the memory-laden flavors. I learned early on to let the pie chill thoroughly, preferably overnight, achieving a silky smooth finish. Broiling marshmallows to a golden brown creates a hint of campfire magic atop the chocolatey filling, tying it all together perfectly. These little details make all the difference.
Each forkful of this pie is a sentimental journey back to sunlit afternoons and laughter-filled attempts to defy gravity on two wheels. The pie is simple to make ahead of time, leaving ample room for spontaneity and summer fun.
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham crackers crushed
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
For the chocolate pudding:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- salt to taste
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 large marshmallows halved on the diagonal
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Add the graham cracker crumbs, the butter, and the brown sugar to a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand.
- Transfer the graham cracker mixture to a 9-inch pie plate and press down to form a crust.
- Bake until crisp and the crust begins to brown, about 15 minutes.
- Allow the crust to cool completely.
- Add the milk, the cream, and the sugar to a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Whisk the cornstarch, the cocoa powder, and the salt into the milk mixture.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and whisk until the pudding thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the saucepan from the heat and whisk the bittersweet chocolate and the vanilla into the pudding mixture.
- Pour the pudding mixture into the cooled pie shell and chill, covered, for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Just before serving, preheat the broiler.
- Top the pie with the marshmallows, making sure to cover the entire surface.
- Transfer the pie to a baking sheet and broil the marshmallows 4 inches from the heat source until the tops are golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, use a kitchen torch to brown the marshmallow topping.
- Serve.
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