chocolate caramel gingerbread pie
serves 10 | prep 1 hour (+ cooling, chilling & setting) | cooking 1 hour 15 mins
380g can Nestlé Caramel Top ‘n’ Fill
2 eggs
185ml (¾ cup) cooking cream
100g dark chocolate, melted, cooled
330g pkt royal icing
60ml (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice, strained
gingerbread
100g (½ cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
125ml (½ cup) golden syrup
50g butter
340g (2¼ cups) plain flour
75g (½ cup) self-raising flour
1½ tbs ground ginger
1½ tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cloves
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 egg, lightly whisked
1 For the gingerbread, place the sugar, golden syrup and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes or until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
“For a beautiful decorative effect, attach smaller snowflakes on top of larger snowflakes, using the icing to secure. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream for a show stopper.” Michelle Southan
2 Combine the flours, ginger, mixed spice, cloves and bicarb in a large bowl. Add the sugar mixture and egg. Stir until combined. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth. Divide into 2 portions. Shape into discs. Cover. Place in the fridge for 1 hour.
3 Preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan forced. Grease a 23cm pie dish with a small lip. Roll out 1 portion of dough on a lightly floured sheet of baking paper until 3-4mm thick. Flip dough over rolling pin and remove paper. Line the prepared pie dish with the dough, being careful not to stretch the dough. Trim the edges. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill.
4 Place the pie dish on a baking tray. Line with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or rice. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove paper and pastry weights or rice. Carefully wrap some foil around the edge of the pastry to prevent burning and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool completely.
5 Place the caramel in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs and cream and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chocolate. Pour the mixture into the pastry case. Place foil around the edge of the pastry to prevent burning. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is just set. Set aside to cool completely.
6 Meanwhile, for the snowflakes, line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Roll out remaining gingerbread dough on lightly floured baking paper until 3-4mm thick. Use assorted snowflake cutters to cut out snowflake shapes. Place the shapes on prepared trays and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. Bake the snowflakes for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp. Set aside to cool on the trays.
7 Place
