Waitress’s In-the-Dark Dark Chocolate Pie

Original recipe: Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Pie — The BEST Chocolate Pie Ever!!

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

1 package (about 36) whole Oreos
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter (*will need additional butter for the filling)

Caramel filling:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (*will need additional cream for ganache)

Ganache topping:

1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 (12 oz) bag dark chocolate chips
Flaky salt like kosher salt or fleur de sel

INSTRUCTIONS

Finely crush the Oreos with a food processor or blender. Stir crumbs together with 8 tablespoons melted butter until well combined. Press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Freeze crust for 10 minutes until set.
Combine remaining 8 tablespoons butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to bubble. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream until smooth. Cool caramel about 15 minutes. Pour the caramel over the Oreo crust, then return to freezer for about 30-45 minutes until just chilled and set. (You don’t want the caramel to fully freeze.)
Place chocolate chips in a glass bowl. In a saucepan, bring 1 cup heavy whipping cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until completely smooth. Pour the chocolate over the caramel and freeze for a final 30 minutes, until just chilled and set. OR refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. Before serving, sprinkle the top with a flaky sea salt like kosher salt or Fleur De Sel.

NOTES

I first tasted this delectable pie at a national tour of the Broadway musical Waitress in St. Louis. They were selling small jars of various pies prior to the show. The layers of caramel and ganache with a hint of salt made my toes curl. It has been a family favorite for special events ever since!

Feel free to bypass a step and buy a store-bought chocolate crust, if needed. However, you will really be missing out as the homemade Oreo crust really adds heft and structure to this amazing pie.