A decadent low carb brownie pie recipe for National Chocolate Day, with a press-in grain-free almond flour crust and a gooey brownie filling.
Today is National Chocolate Day, which makes it the absolutely best day to honour the life of Joan Hayes, the blogger behind Chocolate, Chocolate And More. Joan passed away unexpectedly last week from a heart attack, leaving behind a grieving family and three kids, CJ, Cassie, and Grace. She also left behind a grieving food blogging community. Because Joan was one of the good ones. One of the really, really good ones. One of the best ones. She was very successful, but no matter how big her blog or busy her life, she was always willing to share. She was generous with her time and her advice, she always tried to help other bloggers, and she never seemed to feel herself in competition with anyone else. She just did what she did and she did it well.
Last year, Joan’s daughter got hit by a car while on her way to school. At that time, I asked my followers and readers to send her their positive thoughts and wishes. Now I am asking you to send her daughter and her other children the same in this difficult time. But I am also asking you for more than that. See, Joan’s blog was her livelihood and it was how she supported her family. And she had made it clear to her family that in the event of her death, she wanted it to continue. So I am asking you to please click on the links to her blog. Head on over and check out her recipes. Check out a whole bunch. In fact, go back every day or every other day and check out more. There is certainly plenty to see. No, it’s not a low carb blog at all. But every view helps her ad revenue and thus helps her children. It’s not much to ask of anyone.
Chocolate, Chocolate And More
Joan and I never got to meet in person. We had several plans to do so, once at a conference before her daughter was hurt, and once again when we both happened to be in Florida for vacations. We made arrangements to meet up but we had to cancel them for some reason which I cannot recall. If I could have a do-over, I would absolutely have made a better effort to meet Joan in Florida. Because I know I would have loved her. In fact, I already did love her. She and I messaged frequently about blogging and about life and about chocolate. Especially about chocolate. We may have differed in our execution of chocolate desserts, but we both believed that chocolate is essential for a happy life. This much I know is true. #chocolateeverydamnday #chocolateforjoan
I can’t actually see what I am writing right now through the tears. I don’t get very personal in this space very often. But Joan was truly a shining star in the food blogging world and I was fortunate to know her in the small way that I did. I will miss her deeply.
So please, go grab yourself a piece of chocolate, whether it’s sugar-free or not. Raise it to your lips, savour it slowly, and think how lucky we are to have the lives and the loves we have. And I know Joan’s family would like for everyone to learn the signs and symptoms of heart attack in women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in America and the symptoms can be very different for those of men. Please familiarize yourself with these so you can recognize them in yourself or in loved ones. Symptoms of heart attack in women.
This recipe is modelled after Joan’s Easy Brownie Pie. Mine is perhaps not as easy and takes more steps. But it’s in the spirit of Joan and Joan’s recipes. Please check out her blog, time and again, to help continue her legacy and her support of her kids.
May chocolate be with you, Joan. We miss you.
Brownie Truffle Pie
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ¼ cup almond flour
- 3 tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoon butter chilled and cut into small pieces
- 2-4 tablespoon ice water
Filling:
- ½ cup almond flour
- 6 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoon Swerve Sweetener
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 5 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 tablespoon Sukrin Fiber Syrup (optional but helps create a more gooey center)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon sugar-free chocolate chips
Topping:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon confectioner's Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ ounce sugar-free dark chocolate
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 325F and grease a glass or ceramic pie pan.
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or two sharp knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add two tablespoon water and mix until dough comes together. Add more water only if necessary to get dough to come together.
- Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of prepared pie pan, crimp edges, and prick bottom all over with a fork. Bake 12 minutes.
Filling:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, and baking powder. Stir in eggs, water, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into crust and bake 30 minutes, covering with foil about halfway through. Remove and let cool 10 minutes, then refrigerate half an hour until cool.
Topping:
- Combine cream, sweetener, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Beat until cream holds stiff peaks. Spread over cooled filling.
- Shave dark chocolate over top. Chill another hour or two until completely set.
Notes
Total fat: 33.91g
Calories from fat: 305
Cholesterol: 97mg
Carbohydrate: 11.45g
Total dietary fiber: 5.71g
Protein: 8.56g
Sety says
Hi! I haven’t started this yet and am wondering if I can make the crust in a food processor (as you would with flaky crusts)? Thanks.
Carolyn says
Sure, that should work.
Ilse says
oh my, this was DELICIOUS! My mom used to always make chocolate pie for holidays, and I love chocolate! But since i became T1D, it would seldom appear on the menu. Cut to Thanksgiving 2018 when I made this recipe… eceryone loved it and I didn’t have to worry about my blood sugar! Thanks to you and Joan’s inspiration. This is a keeper.
Carolyn says
Yay! Hooray for normal blood sugar.
Cody says
Made this for dessert. It was delicious! My partner and I believe it was best on the second night. The crust seemed to hold up better the second night, and I also did not notice the artificial sweetener near as much on the second night. These also may be the results of chilling it after baking. Might want to keep that in mind. Also, I may have baked it a tad too long, because it was not jiggly. Still good, so its nice to know that next time, the recipe is forgiving to baking variability. This is a keeper for us. Thank you!
Sammy says
I made this yesterday and it was plain AWESOME. Just awesome. It was easy to make and delicious which was such a relief after I had just made three desserts in a row that had failed spectacularly. I highly recommend. Thank you so much Carolyn!!!
Pat says
Is there any way to make this without eggs? Thanks.
Jackie says
Is Sukrin fiber syrup the same as yacon syrup?