It’s a festive holiday dessert that doesn’t smell like a candle
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, you may be considering a classic apple, pumpkin, or even cranberry pie for your holiday table. But here’s a suggestion that doesn’t smell like a holiday candle: a silky chocolate hazelnut custard baked inside a flaky crust, topped with whipped cream and crunchy chopped hazelnuts. I’m calling it Nutella pie.
I developed this recipe several years ago for a pie-making class I taught in Seattle, and it took several tries to get it right. Initially I struggled to get enough chocolate hazelnut flavor into the custard, going so far as to make my own gianduja before I realized I was overcomplicating things. If I wanted a pie filling that tasted like Nutella, why not just use Nutella? So I combined the chocolate hazelnut spread with some eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, and a splash of hazelnut liqueur. Lo and behold, it baked up into a super-smooth, sliceable, very Nutella-ish custard.
Ideally a custard pie has a smooth and creamy filling that’s set just firm enough to slice cleanly. In a worst-case scenario, the filling is curdled around the edges and overly soft in the center. To achieve the perfect set, you’ll want to temper your eggs before pouring the custard into a pie shell—exactly like you might if you were making a crème brûlée. To do this, combine the Nutella, eggs, and egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Meanwhile, warm the half-and-half on the stove over medium-high heat. When it begins to steam, slowly pour the hot liquid into the Nutella mixture, whisking rapidly all the while. Not only does this temper the eggs and help prevent scrambling, it also warms the custard up considerably, which will help it to bake more quickly and evenly in the oven.
I’m not going to dwell on pie-crust-making technique, which requires an article all its own, but remember this: pie dough requires cold ingredients and a gentle touch (if you need a refresher, I recommend watching this video from NYT Cooking). For this recipe, the pie dough is partially baked before the custard is poured in. This lets the crust become crisp and golden before the custard base is added, allowing the pie to finish off low and slow so as not to curdle the filling within. I like to blind-bake the crust the day before I assemble my pie to break up the process, but if making a pie crust is just too much faff, know that this pie tastes equally delicious baked inside a cookie crust.
You’ll know the pie is fully baked when the filling appears mostly set with just a hint of wobble left in the center. I like to use an instant-read thermometer for this, which takes the guessing out of a perfect bake. The center of the pie should be about 175°F (give or take a few degrees).
Once the pie is done, you’ll want to let it chill thoroughly before serving it for the best flavor and the cleanest slice. Just before serving, top the pie with a thick layer of whipped cream and a sprinkle of chopped roasted hazelnuts. Sure, this dessert may not scream “holiday,” but let’s be real: by November, I’m already burned out on all things pumpkin.