Chocolate Caramel Crunch Pie

Giada De Laurentiis

Nathan R. Congleton / TODAY

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Rating:

2.7142856 (14 rated)

Cook time:

6 hours

Prep time:

8 minutes

Servings:

Make Giada's gooey-yet-crunchy chocolate caramel pie (really, a multi-textural work of art) right now and don't stress about a dessert on Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

- 9 whole graham crackers
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 28 ounces store bought dulce de leche, such as Trader Joes
- 1 ½ cups toasted walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, from half an orange
- 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks, such as Scharffen Berger 70%
- 1/2 teaspoon flake salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Unsweetened chocolate to grate

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Break the graham crackers into small pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse to blend into fine crumbs. Add the cocoa powder, butter and salt and pulse, in 2 second intervals, until combine and the consistency of wet sand. Press the mixture into and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Allow to cool before filling.

Scoop the dolce de leche into a medium bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts, zest and chocolate chunks. Pour into the prepared pie shell and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until chilled all the way through and set.

Just before serving, whip the heavy cream and vanilla in a medium bowl using a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the flake salt on the caramel pie, top with the whipped cream and grate the unsweetened chocolate over the top.