Mississippi Mud Pie Recipe

225 g/8 oz/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

25 g/1 oz cornflour (cornstarch)

300 g/11 oz unsalted (sweet) butter, softened
75 g/3 oz caster (superfine) sugar

200 g/7 oz plain (semi-sweet) chocolate
15 ml/1 tbsp instant coffee powder or granules
15 ml/1 tbsp hot water
3 eggs, beaten
150 ml single (light) cream

175 g/6 oz dark brown sugar

Pouring cream, to serve

Method:

Sift the flour and cornflour into a bowl. Add 200 g/7 oz/scant 1 cup of the butter and the caster sugar and work in with the fingers, gradually drawing in the flour until the mixture forms a ball. (Or put the ingredients in a food processor and blend briefly.) Press into the base and sides of a 23 cm/9 in flan dish (pie pan). Fill with crumpled foil and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for 5 minutes to dry out. Remove from the oven.

Break up the chocolate and place in a saucepan with the remaining butter. Blend the coffee with the water and add. Heat, stirring, until the butter and chocolate have melted. Remove from the heat and beat in the eggs, single cream and brown sugar. Pour into the pastry case (pie shell). Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 and bake for about 40 minutes until set. Leave to cool slightly, then serve warm or cold with pouring cream.