Chocolate Cherry Pie | At Home with Shay

I came up with this ah-mazing gluten-free Chocolate Cherry Pie when I was preparing for my father-in-law’s visit. He has a lot of food sensitivities and LOVES pie more than anyone I know. He has a serious sweet tooth (I can relate) and likes to have dessert each day after dinner (my kind of guy). I had been toying around with a chocolate and cherry idea when it hit me that I could turn it into a gluten-free and vegan layered pie. My father-in-law loved it so much that I made a second pie for him a few days into his visit. I call that a serious win :-)

Ingredients

• 5 cups frozen pitted dark cherries
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from approximately 4 limes)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (I use dairy free & vegan)
• 1 8 oz container vegan cream cheese 
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar
• 1 container coco whip
• 1 ready-made gluten-free vegan pie crust 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake crust according to instructions on package or for approximately 30 minutes. It is best to “weight” the crust with a layer of parchment and pie weights, rice or beans to keep the crust from bubbling up in the center. You can also put another pie plate on top to weight it. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool completely before filling.
2. In a large pot, all at once combine the frozen cherries, sugar, lime juice and cornstarch over a medium high heat until bubbling and thickened. The sauce will turn from white-ish pink to clear red and coat the back of the spoon when it is ready. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Don’t put in the fridge or it may set and won’t pour into the crust properly.
3. While the cherry mixture and pie crust are cooling, heat the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl for approximately 1 minute. Stir, then heat again and stir in 15-30 second intervals until the chips are melted and the chocolate is smooth and pourable. If you overheat the chocolate, it will seize up and clump. If this happens, you would need to start over with new chocolate :-( There isn’t anyway to bring it back, unfortunately.
4. Using a hand mixer, combine the melted chocolate with the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Pour into cooled crust and spread it around the bottom and sides of the crust in an even layer with a spoon or spatula. Put this in the fridge while the cherry mixture continues to cool.
5. Once the cherry mix has cooled to room temperature, pour it on top of the chocolate layer in the crust and put in the fridge to chill. You can loosely cover it or leave it uncovered while it cools. Once the cherries have chilled and set (this will take about 2-3 hours), you can top with Truwhip Vegan or So Delicious Coco Whip, drizzle extra melted chocolate, or shaved chocolate and garnish with cherries or chocolate dipped cherries if you wish.
6. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. The longer it is kept chilled, the more easily it will slice and hold it’s shape. I prefer making this the day before I plan to serve it.

Watch the video above to see Shay make this delicious dish.
Visit AtHomeWithShay.com for detailed instructions, nutritional information, and more gluten-free recipes.