Double Chocolate Mint Chip Pie

COCOA PASTRY CRUST

1. Measure the flour, salt, and baking powder directly into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the ingredients once or twice to combine them.
2. Place the shortening, powdered sugar, and cocoa into a separate small bowl. Using a small rubber spatula, smear the shortening into the powders, pressing against the sides and bottom of the bowl. Continue to work your way around the bowl until all the ingredients have been combined into a chocolatey paste.
3. Using the small rubber spatula, divide the chocolatey paste into three or four roughly equal nuggets and add them to the flour mixture. Pulse three or four times (1 second pulses) until the chocolate seems evenly dispersed into the flour.
4. Add the butter to the flour and pulse four or five times. At this point the flour should appear slightly textured, like coarse cornmeal, with small bits of butter flecked throughout. If not, pulse one or two more times.
5. Drizzle the coffee and vanilla over the liquid.
6. Using 1-second pulses, process the mixture until it transforms from dry and powdery into a large clump of cohesive dough, 8 to 15 pulses. Stop pulsing once most of the dough is clumped together.
7. Transfer the dough and any remaining unincorporated flour to a smooth work surface. To incorporate any loose flour, press and smear the flour across the work surface with the heel of your hand. Gather all the dough and press it into a 5 to 6 inch disc about 1 inch thick.
8. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap, and smooth the outer 1 inch thick edge with your fingertips or by rolling the disc along the countertop. These smooth edges will make the dough easier to roll out in a circle. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.
9. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out to a circle approximately 15” in diameter, and ⅛” thick. Place the dough in the pie pan, and crimp the edges as desired. Freeze the dough-lined pan for at least 20 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°f.
10. Lightly spray one side of an 18 inch piece of aluminium foil with cooking spray. Line the crust with the foil, sprayed side down. Fill the pan with the pie weights.
11. Bake the crust until the crust is set, 50 to 60 minutes, peeking under the edge of the foil to check for doneness. Remove the pie pan from the oven and lift out the pie weights by using the corders of the foil. The goal is for the inside of the pie shell to be evenly baked - it should look like a finished crust. If it is still not done (this can be a little hard to tell with cocoa crust, but it needs to feel dry when you touch it with a finger), place it back into the oven without weights and continue to bake, checking every 2 minutes. Cool the pie crust completely on a wire rack.
12. To add  the drizzle, add half of the melted white chocolate to a piping bag. Tint the other half with a drop of mint green colour, and transfer to another piping bag. Snip the end off each to create a small hole.
13. Carefully remove the cooled chocolate crust from the pan to a double layer of paper towels on a baking sheet. If the crust does not seem like it is going to come out, abort the mission and drizzle the chocolate over the crust still in the pan. Drizzle the chocolate over the edge of the crust, allowing the excess to land on the outside of the crust. Some will land in the crust, but that is fine because it will be covered with the filling. Allow to set for about 10 minutes before returning the crust to the pan and filling the pie.

MINT CHIP GANACHE

1. Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a medium heat-safe bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to simmer (watch it closely so it doesn’t boil over), then pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and set aside for 30 seconds. Whisk the hot cream and chopped chocolate together until the mixture is smooth.
2. Transfer the chocolate ganache to the cooled pie crust, smoothing with an offset spatula, if necessary. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate mints over the top of the ganache. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator and chill until the ganache is set, about 2 hours.

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP CREAM

1. Sprinkle the gelatine over 2 Tbsp water in a small microwave safe bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and milk. Whisking constantly, cook the mixture over medium low heat until it is slightly thickened and reaches 160°f on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. The mixture will coat the back of a spoon when it is properly thickened. Remove the egg mixture from the heat and continue whisking it to cool it slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Heat the gelatine mixture in the microwave on high power in 5 second intervals, checking and stirring it until it just begins to bubble at the edges and the gelatin is dissolved (don’t let it boil). Whisk the gelatine into the egg mixture.
3. Whisk the melted white chocolate into the egg mixture until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Whisk in the creme de menthe (or peppermint extract) and mint colour, if using. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent premature gelling.
4. In a large bowl (or using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), whip the cream on medium high speed until it holds stiff peaks, 1-3 minutes. reduce the speed to low and slowly drizzle in the mint white chocolate mixture until it is completely incorporated. Fold in the chocolate pearls.
5. Transfer the mint chocolate chip cream to the chilled pie, smoothing with an offset spatula. Return the pie to the refrigerator and allow it to chill until the mint cream layer is set, 4 to 6 hours (or up to overnight).

COCOA WHIPPED CREAM

1. If using a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, vanilla, and cocoa on medium-high speed, or until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, and beat on medium high speed until stiff peaks form, 1-3 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with an open star attachment. Pipe rings of whipped cream around the outside of the pie.
2. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.