This recipe for Black bottom pie is an old fashioned favorite of dense chocolate custard and lighter-than-air chiffon filling topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Try my sugar-free version for a truly great low carb dessert.
If you’ve poked around my low carb dessert section you’ve noticed I have several recipes for low carb pies and sugar-free layered desserts. Most are easy no-bake recipes requiring a few minutes of stove time and a pre-baked pie crust. This Black Bottom Pie is such a recipe.
You can thank (or blame) my husband for all of the pie recipes - he LOVES pie. And so, I devote a lot of time thinking about my next pie creation. Sometimes, I take a popular low carb recipe from my site and vary the flavors. Other times, I think outside the box and make something totally new like the low carb Strawberry Cream Pie I posted last year. Yet, every once in a while I find recipe inspiration in vintage cook books.
I found the recipe for this amazing recipe for Black Bottom Pie in my mother’s vintage Betty Crocker Cookbook. A book which shows its age with tattered and splattered pages; each yellowed around the edges. It took some fiddling, but I lowered the carbs in this black bottom pie with stellar results. And since it’s a no-bake recipe you can use your favorite pre-baked pie crust recipe. (I’ll link to some great options below.)
What is Black Bottom Pie?
Black Bottom Pie consists of a dense chocolate custard layer topped with a thicker, lighter-than-air chiffon filling in a pre-baked pie crust. Whipped cream and chocolate shavings finish the pie. The custard filling cooks in a pot on the stove. A portion of the custard mixed with chocolate, makes the “black bottom” layer. The remaining custard is mixed with gelatin and cooled. Later, it's whipped to soften its texture, then it's folded together with meringue. After chilling to set it's topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.
I feature my flaky pie crust with this low carb black bottom pie recipe, but you may sub any low carb pie crust recipe. The walnut pie crust below would be a great choice as would any of the others.
Low Carb Pie Crust Options:
- Flaky Low Carb Pie Crust (pictured)
- Low Carb Graham Cracker Pie Crust
- Nut-Free Chocolate Pie Crust
- Walnut Pie Crust
- Coconut Flour Pie Crust
[NOTE:] Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. To avoid using high carb ingredients like whole milk and excessive amounts of starch or flour a few ingredients in combination were needed.
This recipe for black bottom pie is 4 net carbs per serving.
The Best Recipe for Black Bottom Pie (Low Carb)
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Low Carb Flaky Pie Crust (pre-baked)
Base Custard
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup almond milk
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon gelatin
- ⅔ cup low carb sugar
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg yolks**
- 1 whole egg
Black Bottom Layer
- 1 ½ oz unsweetened baking chocolate
- 1 cup custard
Chiffon Layer
- remaining custard
- 1 tablespoon rum, bourbon, or brandy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Whipped Cream Topping
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup low carb powdered sugar
Optional
- shaved chocolate
Instructions
Preparation:
- Separate 3 of the eggs into yolks and whites. Make sure not to get any yolks in the whites or they won't whip into a meringue, which is needed for the chiffon. Finely chop the unsweetened baking chocolate and place into a small heat safe bowl large enough to accommodate 1 cup of the custard, later. Put the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface to bloom.
To make the custard:
- Mix the ⅔ cup sweetener, cornstarch (or arrowroot), xanthan gum and salt together in a small pot. Whisk in the egg yolks and whole egg. Whisk in the heavy cream and almond milk.
- Turn the heat to medium low. Whisk slowly but continuously until the mixture begins to thicken, about 8-10 minutes, paying particular attention to the sides and bottom of the pot. Whisk briskly while the custard continues to cook and thicken, about 2-4 more minutes. Remove the custard from the heat and whisk for an additional 2 minutes.
Black Bottom Layer:
- Remove one cup of the hot custard and add it to the chopped chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is blended. Let cool, then pour into the pie crust. Cover and refrigerate.
Chiffon Layer:
- Tear the bloomed gelatin into small pieces and add it to the remaining custard. Whisk until the gelatin melts completely. Cover the custard with cling film, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until it has cooled.
- Once the remaining custard has cooled, place the egg whites in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the cream of tartar. Using a hand or stand mixer, whisk over medium-high speed until the egg whites quadruple in volume, are glossy and hold a stiff peak when the beaters are brought straight up from the bowl. Set aside.
- Remove the cooled custard from the refrigerator and whisk to loosen it's texture with a hand or stand mixer. Add the vanilla and rum (or your flavoring of choice) and whip again. Now is the time to adjust the sweetness with powdered stevia or stevia glycerite if you want it sweeter.
- Add ⅓ of the meringue to the custard and mix gently with a hand mixer. Fold half of the remaining meringue into the lightened custard with a large rubber spatula. Gently but thoroughly fold the remaining meringue into the custard completing the chiffon layer. Spoon into the pie crust and smooth to the edges. Refrigerate uncovered for several hours. Then, cover loosely with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Whipped Cream Topping:
- Whip the heavy cream with the sweetener until it's thick. Spoon onto the pie and swirl with a spoon. Top with chocolate shavings if you wish. To shave the chocolate, use a vegetable peeler as if you were peeling a carrot.
Serves 10.
Notes
Nutrition
Cassie
It didn't set the first time... adding more gelatin fo it firms up more. flavor is amazing in this pie and I'm making it again for the 2nd time tomorrow
Jon Rueter
Hi, should the consistency of the custard be like a cream anglaise or thicker like pastry cream before I remove from heat and stir into the chocolate? Thanks!
Jon Rueter
Update: reason I asked is that first time I made this pie it never fully set and I think I didn’t cook the custard enough. I ended up going for a thick cream anglaise consistency- more or less custard consistency I guess :) So far it seems better- and a little thicker than my first attempt. Another factor could have been that I didn’t use all of the bloomed gelatin- maybe 2/3. It just seemed like a lot. But this time I used it all. I always have to fight the urge to second guess a recipe and it never fails to get me in trouble!! Ha ha
Kim
Hi Jon. It should be thick like cooking a pastry cream (pudding), which always gets thicker upon cooling. Cream anglaise is more of a thick sauce. -Kim
Belinda
Hi, I don’t understand in your note, if using the flaky pie crust to add the extra yolk to the custard. Perhaps I need my eyes checked but what extra yolk??
Kim
Hi Belinda. The recipe for the flaky pie crust calls for one egg white. Use the leftover egg yolk in the custard to avoid waste. -Kim
DavetteB
I was thinking about this recipe from my mom's old BC cookbook (known as the Pie Cover book) and yours was the first one that came up when I did a search! Super glad to find a low carb recipe .
This is first on my list to make as soon as it is cool enough to turn on the oven. :-)
Does using arrowroot over cornstarch make a difference in the carb count?
Kim
Hi Davette. The carb count is the same for arrowroot powder or cornstarch - .7 carbs per serving (serving 10 people). I tested this recipe extensively with and with out the starch and it was hands down better with the starch - it needed it. Enjoy the recipe. -Kim
Brittany
I don't know how this pie doesn't have more comments... Maybe a lot of people find it intimidating to make and don't try it. As someone who's tried to make quite a lot of keto/low carb desserts (mostly the easy ones that are usually just a base of cream cheese and aritificial sweetener) and never really felt like they were very good.
This pie is in a different league. Its OWN league even... I've made it twice and its phenomenal. Its delicious. It tastes like a real dessert that you look forward to and enjoy every single bite.
The Flaky Pie crust with the Oat Fiber is AMAZING.... Oat fiber was hard for me to find so I tried to sub it the first time with flax meal and while it was good now that I've made it this second time with your real recipe I can't believe how big of a difference it made... Its like real pie crust. I actually eat every crumb.
I love this recipe and just wanted to sincerely thank you for it. I just finished my last slice last night and I'm fighting the temptation to make it again already. Lol.
Kim
I am so happy you tried this recipe, Brittany. You hit the nail on the head... I don't think anyone has tried this recipe. Although I did have to make alterations to lower the carb count, it is amazingly true to the original recipe in taste and procedure. I'm thrilled that you like it as it's one of my favorites. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how you like the recipe. Have a wonderful evening. -Kim
Natalie
I made this pie yesterday. The chiffon layer did not turn out well. It was too gelatinous coming out of the fridge. It would not whip up prior to the egg white addition--or even afterwards. I'm wondering if the gelatin should be 1 tsp not 1 tbsp. The black bottom layer is quite good--and I'm not even a big chocolate fan. Not having experienced a true chiffon layer in the one I made, to simplify and quicken the process next time, I'll just have two different custard layers and skip the egg white addition. Also, I used Swerve in the custard. It was very sweet. I might cut by half. I cut the Swerve in the whipped cream by half and it was plenty sweet for me.
Kim
Hi Natalie. Im sorry you had a problem with the chiffon layer. It was not a typo. The chiffon layer is gelatinous out of the refrigerator, but keep beating it to loosen it up. As it beats, it will warm up a little and become much looser. At this point, the egg whites can be beaten and folded in to make the chiffon light and airy. As I mentioned in the post, I modified an existing recipe and found one tablespoon of gelatin to be correct. Thank you for your comment. -Kim
Lisa
The pie looks amazing! I also have my mother's old Betty Crocker cookbook with worn yellow pages.
Kim
Isn't it nice to have some things from our mothers? A special cookbook is all we need to revisit that familiar taste of home. Thanks for commenting, Lisa. Have a great week. -Kim