Cutter & Squidge is the ultimate destination for modern and quirky afternoon tea in London, and now sisters Annabel and Emily are sharing their winning formula in Afternoon Tea at the Cutter & Squidge Bakery. Whoever you’re entertaining is bound to go crazy for this easy, no-bake chocolate & caramel pie. The custard is rich and chocolatey, but not too sweet, and is the perfect pairing with the sweet bananas and caramel and fresh whipped cream.
Base
125 g/1⅛ sticks unsalted butter
200 g/7 oz. Digestive Crumb or digestive biscuits/graham crackers, roughly broken
50 g/¼ cup demerara/turbinado sugar
Caramel Sauce
250 g/1¼ cups caster/granulated sugar
250 ml/generous 1 cup double/heavy cream
25 g/1¼ tablespoons golden/light corn syrup
15 g/1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 medium ripe bananas
Chocolate Custard
85 g/scant ½ cup caster/granulated sugar
20 g/scant ¼ cup cornflour/cornstarch
1 egg yolk
225 ml/scant 1 cup whole milk
70 ml/scant ⅓ cup double/heavy cream
35 g/scant ⅓ cup cocoa powder
85 g/3 oz. dark/bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
85 g/3 oz. milk chocolate, broken into pieces
35 g/¼ stick unsalted butter
Topping
300 ml/1¼ cups double/heavy cream
A little dark/bittersweet chocolate, for grating over the top
25-cm/10-inch pie dish or a 23-cm/9-inch loose-based tart pan
Serves 10-12
For the chocolate custard, mix together the sugar and cornflour/cornstarch in a bowl. Add the egg yolk but do not mix in. Set aside.
Stir together the milk, cream and cocoa powder in a saucepan and heat until steaming. Pour the cream slowly over the cornflour/cornstarch and yolk, whisking to combine.
Return to the saucepan over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until thickened. Add both types of chocolate and the butter and mix until melted. Put in a bowl and cover directly with clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before using.
For the base, melt the butter and leave to cool completely. Put the digestive crumb or digestive biscuits/graham cracker pieces into a food processor with the cooled melted butter and blitz to fine crumbs. Tip into a bowl, add the demerara/turbinado sugar and mix well. The sugar adds a nice crunch.
Press the crumb mixture into the pie dish or tart pan to cover the base and up the sides, then pop into the fridge for 15 minutes until the base is set.
Meanwhile, for the topping, prepare the caramel: Add the sugar to a warmed saucepan and melt over a medium heat until liquid and a light caramel colour. Whisk in the cream and then the golden/light corn syrup; it will bubble, so be careful and whisk quickly until all combined. Finally, add the butter and stir until melted. Leave to cool slightly.
Peel and slice the bananas into 5-mm/¼-inch slices and mix together with the caramel. Spread the banana caramel evenly over the bottom of the digestive/graham cracker base. Pour over the chocolate custard and spread smooth with a spatula. Leave the pie to set in the fridge for 1–2 hours or until you are ready to serve.
When you want to finish the pie, whip the double/heavy cream until medium-soft, so it just holds its shape. Spoon over the pie and grate some dark/bittersweet chocolate over the top to decorate. Serve.
This recipe is from Afternoon Tea at the Cutter & Squidge Bakery by Annabel & Emily Lui. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.