Strawberry Chocolate Oasis Pie

Simple description: "Just a pie! It’s downright expert. A thing’a beauty … how each flavor opens itself, one by one, like a chapter in a book. First, the flavor of an exotic spice hits ya … Just a hint of it … and then you get flooded with chocolate, dark and bittersweet like an old love affair. And finally strawberry, the way strawberry was always supposed to taste but never knew how."

Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Silk Filling

1/4 cup unsalted butter
5 ounces coarsely chopped, bittersweet chocolate
1 package miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tsp Chai Spice (recipe follows)

Fresh Strawberry Filling
2 cups strawberries, slightly crushed
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp brandy

2 1/2 cups strawberries, diced if large, or halved if small

Garnish
2 cups whipping cream; whipped with 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
chocolate shavings

One chocolate crumb crust (recipe follows)

For the Chocolate Cookie Crust:

• 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs<
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 6 tbsp butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

Bake and cool the prepared pie crust. Set aside.

• In a small saucepan over lowest heat, slowly melt the chocolate, chai spice, and butter together. 
• Remove from heat and stir in the marshmallows to melt and then add the cream and vanilla. 
• Refrigerate while making strawberry filling.
• For the Strawberry Filling, crush or mash the first amount of strawberries. 
• Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk. 
• In a medium saucepan, heat the crushed berries with sugar until they start to get a little liquidy. 
• Cook and then add the cornstarch mixture until lightly bubbling and thickening. 
• Remove from heat and stir in brandy and vinegar. 
• Cool 15 minutes and then fold in fresh strawberries. 
• Refrigerate or cool to room temperature. 
• To assemble pie, spoon chocolate filling into pie shell. 
• If the filling is too thick and cold, add some whipping cream to form the filling (slightly thicker than pudding). Top with the strawberry filling and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to set. Sprinkle the top with chocolate shavings.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add cookie crumbs and stir to combine well. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake crust 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely.

Chai Spice Mix

2 teaspoons fennel, whole
2 teaspoons cloves, whole
1 tablespoon cardamom, ground
2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
2 teaspoons ginger, ground

• With a small food processor, grind up the whole fennel and cloves.
• Transfer to a small bowl and add remaining spices. Mix to combine.

Source: http://whiteapples.typepad.com/blog/2010/06/gonna-fill-it-up-with-strawberry-love.html

Other variations found here and here.