Cherry Pie Inside of a Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake - delicious AND it is accidentally gluten-free!

If you want to bake something that is completely extravagant, over-the-top decadent and totally delicious this summer, that also happens to be gluten-free, this is it! 

This is a large PIECAKEN, and very rich, so small pieces are the best way to go. You can cut at least 16 to 20 pieces, if not more.

If you are not a fan of cherries (the texture of the skin can bother some people), make a raspberry or strawberry pie instead. Simply use the gluten-free coconut crust with any other fruit of your choice.

So let's get to it.

PIECKAEN Recipe: Coconut-Crusted Cherry Pie Inside of a Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake


What you need:

The Coconut Crust:

• 1/4 cup of coconut flour
• 2 cups of shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup of organic/raw granulated cane sugar
• 1/3 cup of butter, melted

The Cherry Pie Filling

• 1 bag (600 grams) of frozen (or fresh) pitted cherries
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup organic/raw cane sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

The Flourless Truffle Cake

• 16 ounces of 70% dark chocolate (1 lb)
• 1 lb of butter (2 cups)
• 2 cups sugar
• 8 eggs
• 2 tsp salt

Topping:

• 9oz dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. corn syrup, liquid honey, or agave syrup
• 1 cup of shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup of chopped or shaved dark chocolate
• OR cherry buttercream icing, fresh cherries, or other icing of your choice

To make the Cherry Pie:

Make the filling:

1. Bring to a simmer 1 bag of frozen (or fresh) pitted Cherries in a saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon for 10 minutes while stirring regularly. 
2. Add 1 tbsp. of cornstarch mixed with 1.5 tsps. of cold water to the mixture.  Turn your element down to low and stir constantly while cooking for an additional five or more minutes (until mixture is thickened). 
3. Once thick, turn off heat and remove the saucepan from the element. Let cool.

Make the Coconut Pie Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare a 9" pie plate by greasing it with butter, shortening or lard and then placing a round of parchment paper inside (this should hang about 1/2" inch over than the pie plate edges) and then grease the parchment paper as well.
3. Melt the butter in the microwave or over a double boiler. 
4. Place the shredded coconut, the coconut flour and the sugar in a medium bowl and stir briefly until mixed.
5. Pour the melted butter over the coconut mixture and stir until the mixture is fully dampened.
6. Press into the pie pan and up the sides as far as you can.
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are starting to toast and brown.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
9. Once cooled, pour the cherry filling into the pie crust.

It is best to top the pie with melted chocolate or a quick water ganache in order to seal it (this makes it easier when you flip the pie into the cake batter.  Here is how to make a water ganache:

Water Ganache:

1. Place 3 ounces of dark chocolate in a microwavable bowl. 
2. Add 1/4 cup of water. 
3. Microwave on MEDIUM (50%) power for 1 minute and 40 seconds. 
4. Take out, stir until melted together. 
5. Spread over the cherry filling in the pie to seal the cherries in.

To make the Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake:

1. Prepare a 10" springform cake pan with a round parchment paper in the bottom (you can use a regular 10" cake pan if you do not have a springform pan in that size).  Grease the paper and the sides of the cake pan.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Place the chopped butter and chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a double boiler (a small pot with 1 inch of water in it at a low simmer) and stir constantly until melted. Remove from heat. You can use the stainless steel bowl from your stand mixer, if it does not have a thick-plated or rubber base.
4. Add the sugar and stir well.  Let rest five minutes.
5. Add all 8 eggs and mix with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until well blended (do not over-beat, if it starts to get fluffy, stop mixing).
6. Toss in the salt and mix for about 10 seconds more with your hand mixer or with a spatula.
7. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 of the cake batter into your prepared cake pan.
8. Flip your pie over, upside-down onto the centre of the batter in the pan. Remove the parchment paper.
9. Pour the remaining batter over the pie.  Spread the batter around and into the edges to even out the top.
10. Place your Springform pan on a cookie sheet or pizza pan (to prevent dripping from a leaky springform pan). Bake in a preheated oven for 55 minutes. Turn off oven when done baking.  Open the door, pull out the oven rack the cake is sitting on and leave the door open for 15 minutes until the cake cool and sinks a bit.  Remove carefully from the oven, then let cool completely on a cooling rack. Refrigerate for at least two to four hours before flipping onto a serving plate and topping the cake.

For the topping and cake presentation:

1. Once completely cooled and chilled, run a hot knife around the edges and, if using, release your springform pan sides and remove. Place your serving plate upside down and centred onto the cake, then flip the cake and plate over so the cake is upside down on your serving plate (this means the pie inside the cake is now right-side-up!).
2. Mix 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips or finely chopped or shaved semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl with 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut. Set aside.
3. Place 6 ounces of broken, chopped or drops of chocolate pieces into a heat-proof bowl.
4. Boil 1/2 cup of cream in a small pan on the stove top until it just reaches the boiling point. Pour it over the chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon slowly until completely mixed and smooth.
5. Add the tbsp. of corn syrup, agave, or honey and stir. This will add a nice shine to your glaze. 
6. Pour over the cake and, working quickly with an offset spatula, spread to the sides and run along the sides to smooth out. Wipe any excess off of the serving plate with wet and dry paper towels.
7. Immediately (while the glaze is still wet) press the shredded coconut and chocolate mixture into the sides of the cake all around.  Alternately, you can press it only into the top of the cake and leave the sides plain.
8. Top with Chocolate-Covered Cherries for an added touch!

To Slice and Serve the Cake:

Chill and then slice.  Slice with a heated knife (heat knife by running it under hot water and drying it with a paper town before each cut). A hot knife will prevent your knife from crushing each slice of cake.

The Perfect Summer PIECAKEN! Strawberry Pie in Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Cheesecake PIECAKENS are extra rich and extra delicious. Sure, you could simply make a strawberry-topped cheesecake, which will have a similar flavour profile, but by putting a strawberry pie inside of the cheesecake it becomes a great surprise. And your dessert will be the most memorable one at the party.

So let's get to it! Here is the recipe:

Strawberry-Cheesecake PIECAKEN

Ingredients for the Cheesecake Crust:

• 2 cups of graham cookie crumbs (or chocolate 'Oreo' cookie crumbs - it's up to you)
• 1/3 cup of butter, melted
• 1/3 cup of granulated raw cane sugar (or regular granulated sugar or organic coconut sugar, depending on your preference)

Ingredients for the Strawberry Pie:

• 3 cups of strawberries
• 1 cup of granulated raw cane sugar (again, you can use regular or coconut sugar)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. corn starch mixed with 1 tbsp. of water

Ingredients for the Cheesecake Batter:

• 2 packages of cream cheese
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp real vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground vanilla beans (or the scrapings from 1 vanilla bean pod)
• 3 eggs
• 1 500 ml container of sour cream

To Make the Pie:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. If you do not have a favourite pie crust recipe, follow my favourite one here.
3. Line a 6" to 8" pie or tart pan with parchment paper (grease under the parchment to make it stick to the pan and on it). Place a round of crust in the bottom of pan and up the sides (trim if there is excess, but leave it high enough to attach to a top crust).
4. Pre-bake the bottom layer of the pie crust for about 5 to 10 minutes before adding the filling.
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the strawberries, sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch/water mixture.
6. Pour into the pie shell.
7. Top the pie filling with a top layer of pie crust and poke holes in it.
8. Brush on an egg wash (1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tbsp. of cream or milk) to get a crisp crust.
9. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pie is bubbling and the crust is lightly browned.
10. Take out of the oven and let cool on a cooling rack while preparing the cheesecake crust and batter.

Make the Cheesecake Crust:

1. Prepare an 8" Springform pan by lining it with parchment paper and then grease it with butter or lard.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cookie crumbs and the melted butter with a spoon.  Toss in the sugar and stir until combined. Press it into the prepared springform pan in a thick coating on the bottom and slightly up the sides.
3. Place it on a cookie sheet (to catch any dripping butter) and bake in the 350 degree F preheated oven for 12 minutes until crisp and edges are just starting to brown.
4. Take out and let cool while you prepare the cheesecake batter.

Make the Cheesecake Batter:

1. Remove the packaging from the cream cheese and then soften it in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds.
2. Beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer on medium-to-high until soft and lightly whipped (you need to stir in the bottom with a spatula a few times to ensure no lumps). 
3. Slowly add in the sugar and again stir in the bottom bits to remove any lumps. Whip until softened and fluffy. 
4. Add the vanilla extract and vanilla bean and mix.
5. Add one egg at a time and mix on medium, fully stirring with a spatula between each addition.
6. Once fully mixed and lump free, mix in the sour cream on low or medium just until combined.

Assemble and Bake the PIECAKEN:

1. Pour about a 1/2 to 3/4 inch of batter onto the crust.
2. Flip your pie upside-down into the centre of the cake pan (this is easiest, but you might want the pie to be right-side up when you slice the cake, so extract the pie carefully and place it on the batter in the centre of the cake pan).
3. Pour the remaining cheesecake batter onto the pie and spread around and into the sides, ensuring there is enough to cover the pie.  Fill right to the top of your springform pan.  (If there is a little cheesecake batter leftover, you can make two mini cheesecakes in muffin tins baked at about 20 minutes in a 350 degree F preheated oven)
4. Bake the PIECAKEN for 1 hour and 10 minutes (if your oven bakes hot, or is not a convection oven, be sure to turn the cake halfway through and bake on the centre rack of the oven, and check it at one hour - If cracking and browning, stop cooking at 1 hour).
5. Take out the PIECAKEN, run a knife around the sides of the springform pan to prevent cracking, and then let cool. Once cooled (about 2 hours), refrigerate for another 2 hours before topping.

To top the cake:
Top with a vanilla bean buttercream icing or whipped cream & fresh strawberries or a cooked strawberry topping (a cup of strawberries cooked on stovetop with a 1/3 cup of sugar and 1 tbsp. lemon juice for 15 minutes, let cool, then pour on cake).

Chill the cake and slice. Serve it cooled!

You can also freeze this cake, if need be.

Icecream PIECAKEN Fail!

Well, when is a PIECAKEN ever really a Fail?

Last week I saw a pie recipe online like no other. It was a chocolate ganache pie with a shredded coconut crust. For starters, what an excellent idea for a gluten-free crust.  Secondly, dark chocolate ganache in a pie is my kind of pie!  So I thought, "Wouldn't it be a great idea to make a similar pie and put it inside of a fruit-flavoured icecream cake?" 

Well, it was a great idea, but making it happen was a whole other deal.  My original thought was to put the pie inside a lime or raspberry gelato (something tart or sour), which would have paired nicely with a bitter chocolate.  But all I could get at the store here was Strawberry Frozen Yogurt. And I also wanted to change up the original recipe by using a darker 70% chocolate with a butter-based ganache, which is very bitter tasting but delicious. However, once the whole thing was put together, the sweet strawberry ice cream made the dark chocolate pie taste far too bitter.

So what did I do?  I removed all the ice cream, the cookie crust and the chocolate truffle that I used for decorating and made an ultimate bowl of ice cream.  Then I let my wonderful dark chocolate pie come back to room temperature (it was not very tasty while frozen) and enjoyed a slice of that on its own.

Although it was a fail, I can see that a semi-sweet chocolate pie would have been the way to go with a raspberry gelato.  Alternately, with the strawberry ice cream, I would have made a milk chocolate or white chocolate ganache coconut pie. 

Anyway, the process of putting it together is the same, so if you want to try your own version, here is a photo instruction on how I made the Icecream & Coconut Pie PIECAKEN (see below for further tips and instructions):

Some added instructions: 

For the coconut crust, I used 2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut, mixed with 1/4 cup of coconut sugar and 1/3 cup of melted butter, which I then pressed into a parchment lined pie pan.  I baked this for about 12 minutes at 350 degrees F.

For the pie filling, my butter-ganache was: in a small saucepan, bring to a boil 1/2 cup of whipping cream with 1/2 cup of butter.  Pour it over 8 ounces of 70% dark chocolate and stir until smooth.  Pour into the cooked coconut pie crust.

For a milk chocolate pie filling, follow this truffle recipe with regular milk chocolate (you don't need to use the Caramelia chocolate in the recipe).

Place the pie in the bottom of the icecream cake to make it easier to cut.  If it is in the middle (as I learned the hard way), the ice cream underneath squishes out.

Work fast before your ice cream melts and get it back into a deep freeze as quickly as possible!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie in a Rice Treat Cake PIECAKEN

There is no more delicious combination than peanut butter, milk chocolate and Rice Krispie squares, for children aged zero to 100. So if you are planning a party for a mixed group of kids and adults, or if you need to make a birthday cake for someone who absolutely LOVES Rice Krispie squares, this PIECAKEN is the perfect dessert. Decorate it however you like - as a fancy birthday cake or a simple snacking dessert!

The instructions may seem long, but actually this PIECAKEN did not take me much time at all! The crust was made in just 15 minutes.  The filling took less than 10 minutes, as did the Rice Krispies treat. And there was a manageable amount of dishes to wash. Plan to make this over two nights, or make your crust and pie on a Friday night and your Rice Krispie 'cake' on Saturday morning so it is ready for a Saturday-night party. 

The best part about this cake is that it does not dry out and you can enjoy the leftovers for five days or more (if refrigerated).


RECIPE: Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Pie-in-a-Rice-Krispie-Cake PIECAKEN

You need:

Tools:

• 9" pie plate (either aluminum or glass)
• 9" or 10" Springform pan (it does not need to be a springform pan, but needs to be at least 3" tall)
• Parchment paper
• Plastic wrap
• Spoons, mixing bowls, etc....

For the rice treat 'cake':

• 1 340 gram box of Kellog's Rice Krispies (I bought the Brown Rice version)
• 1 large bag of mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine

For the pie crust:

• 1 400 gram box of Graham cookie crumbs (I used a half box of HoneyMaid, but you can use any other brand, and you can also use the whole cookies and just crush them yourself with a  rolling pin & Ziplock bag)
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of sugar

For the pie filling:

• 8 oz (227 grams) of good quality Milk Chocolate
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of whipping cream

For the Topping:

• 2 cups or 500 ml of Whipping Cream OR 1 container of Cool Whip
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• Chocolate syrup (Hershey's or other 'ice cream' syrup)

Instructions:

Make the pie crust:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
2. Line your pie plate with a round piece of parchment paper equal to the size of the pan (it should be large enough to cover the top edges) Butter or grease the pan and the paper with lard/shortening (by buttering the pan will help your parchment stick to it and buttering the parchment will keep your crust from sticking to it!).
3. Place the Graham crumbs in a medium mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir until dispersed.
4. Melt the butter in a small pan on the stovetop or in a small dish the microwave for 45 seconds.
5. Pour the butter over the crumb/sugar mixture and mix with a large spoon until the ingredients are damp.
6. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides.
7. Place pie crust on a cookie sheet (this makes it easier to handle) and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  Take out and let cool.

Make the filling:

1. Follow my Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Truffle Recipe. You can find it here (on www.ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.com). Do not follow the steps for rolling or coating, simply mix the "Truffle" and then pour it in the pie crust.
2. Place it in the fridge to set for 2 hours.

Make the rice treat cake:

1. Make a double batch of rice treats. You can find the original Kellog's Rice Krispies Recipe here, or you can use Wikihow to see both the stovetop or microwave methods: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Rice-Krispies-Treats#Original_version
2. Leave it in the bowl or pot and immediately assemble the PIECAKEN.

Assembling the PIECAKEN:

1. Prepare your Springform pan by lining it with parchment paper or plastic wrap and grease the paper or plastic wrap with butter or shortening.
2. Press about 1/3 of the rice treat into the bottom of your Springform pan.
3. Take the pie out of the fridge and immediately flip the entire pie & plate upside-down into the centre of your Springform pan.
4. Press the rest of the warm rice treats into the Springform pan all around and on top of the pie. Ensure you have a nice even/flat treat.
5. Let the cake set in the fridge for a half hour or more sot eh rice treat can cool and harden. Then take out and run a knife around the outside.  Then flip your entire cake upside down onto your serving plate.
6. With a spatula, decorate with any of the 'Topping Options' below:

• Peanut Butter Buttercream Icing (i.e. take your favourite buttercream recipe and mix in about 1/2 to 1 cup of peanut butter, depending on your taste)
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Whipped topping (Beat 2 cups of whipping cream until mixed, fold in 1/4 cup chocolate ice cream syrup and 1/2 cup of peanut butter)
• Cool Whip Peanut Butter topping (fold 1/2 cup of peanut butter into 1 container of Cool Whip - for a chocolaty version add 1/4 cup of chocolate syrup)
• Make another half batch of the 'truffle' mix and pour over the top of the cake.

Enjoy!

The FAKEN PIECAKEN: All the PIECAKEN without the BAKIN'!

Why fake a PIECAKEN?  Well, there are a few reasons. The first is, hmm, how can I put this nicely.... laziness.  For instance, my husband wanted to make an entry for our annual Piecakenfest, but he did not want all the trouble of making one from scratch and worrying about whether or not the cake was cooked (it is not easy to tell when there is a pie in the centre of the cake). So he decided to fake it.

First, he made a Strawberry pie in an 8" pan. Then he bought an Angel Food Cake mix and some Cool Whip.  He made the Angel Food Cake in two pans that were the same size as the pie (8").  Once the cake layers were made, he placed the pie between the two layers of cake.  It was a little crooked, and slightly broken in parts, but no one noticed because he iced the whole concoction with the Cool Whip.  So essentially, the Strawberry Pie was the filler between the two layers of Angle Food Cake.


A home-made strawberry pie is the perfect filling between
two layers of Angel Food Cake (with sprinkles inside).
Once iced, no one can tell that there
is a pie in the middle of this cake!

It actually turned out wonderfully and the kids really liked it. And as you can see from the picture above, it looked quite tasty too. It really was the perfect summer dessert. 









Another reason why you might want to make a 'FAKEN PIECAKEN'? You want to put a no-bake pie inside of a cake.

A friend of mine had the idea of putting a banana cream pie inside of a chocolate cake.  Since the banana cream pie could not be heated, he had to make the cake separately and then slice it in half and carve out a space for the pie. 

After placing the pie in the centre, he covered the entire cake in a light whipped chocolate icing and some toasted coconut (see picture to the right). That was another big hit with the chocolate and banana fanatics, as well as the kids.

Along the same lines, I have an idea for a 'FAKEN PIECAKEN' made with a no-bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie. I think it will pair nicely with a Rice Krispie cake. Sounds delicious, right?  I will get around to making it soon and will post the recipe here.

If you have any great ideas for a FAKEN PIECAKEN, feel free to 'share' in the Comments below. Share your links as well!

For now, Happy PIECAKEN Bakin'!