Yelapa-Style Chocolate Pie

In Yelapa, on the west coast of central Mexico, Chelly Rodriguez is known as the Pie Lady. For more than two decades, she’s been selling home-baked pies by the slice, to be eaten out of hand while lounging or strolling on the beach. Food writer and recipe developer Paola Briseño-González re-created Rodriguez’s chocolate pie (pay de chocolate in Spanish), complete with a sandy, cookie-like crust and a dark, cocoa-rich filling that holds its shape whether you serve slices at room temperature or chilled. Dutch-processed cocoa is the best type to use here, as the alkali added during processing gives it a deep, dark hue. That said, natural cocoa will work but the filling will be lighter in color. When lining the pie plate with the rolled dough, if the dough tears, not to worry, as it’s easy to patch. To prevent shrinking and slipping during baking, the foil-lined pie shell is filled with about 2 cups of pie weights. The weights are removed after about 20 minutes, then the pie shell is returned to the oven to allow it to brown all over. This pie is a perfect dessert to bring to an outdoor gathering. Store leftovers well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to three days.