Coffee Toffee Pie

FILLING
2 oz Bittersweet chocolate
1 tb Instant coffee
3/4 c Unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 c Granulated sugar
3 Eggs

TOPPING
2 tb Instant coffee
2 c Whipping cream
1 ts Vanilla
2 tb Coffee liqueur, such as
-Kahlua or Tia Maria
1/4 c Sifted icing sugar

1. To make crust, preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly butter a 10-inch
(25-cm) springform pan. Cut waxed paper to fit bottom. Brush or rub with
butter, then place butter-side up in pan. Using a fork, stir flour with
chopped nuts, sugar, chopped chocolate and salt in a large mixing bowl
Then, stir in butter and vanilla. Add 2 tb water and mix until crumbly. If
mixture seems dry, stir in remaining 1 tb water. Turn into a lined
springform pan. Press into bottom and halfway up sides. Bake in centre of
pre-heated oven until set and edges are just starting to brown, about 18 to
20 minutes. Cool on a rack. Do not remove sides.

2. To make filling, cut chocolate into coarse pieces, To make on top of
stove, place chocolate and instant coffee in a small heavy-bottomed
saucepan set over very low heat. Melt, stirring frequently, and remove from
heat when small pieces of chocolate are still visible, about 5 minutes.
Then, stir until smooth. Or, place chocolate and instant coffee in a
microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, without stirring, on medium until chocolate
is almost but not completely melted, about 2 minutes. Stir until smooth,
then cool at room temperature while continuing with recipe.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer or wooden spoon
until very creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and
lemon-colored. Beat in cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Then, beat
in eggs, 1 by 1, beating well after each addition. Pour into cooled crust,
cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day (any
longer and crust becomes soggy).

4. Because whipped cream does not hold well, plan to add topping no more
than 2 hours before serving, To make topping, stir instant coffee with
cream, vanilla and liqueur, if desired, in a medium-size mixing bowl. Using
an electric mixer, beat until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.
Gradually beat in icing sugar. Spoon on top of pie, then use a spoon to
mound over filling and swirl surface of cream. Top with chocolate curls or
chopped chocolate, if you wish. Serve fight away or refrigerate for up to 2
hours. Gently remove sides from pan. Serve pie chilled on the same day it
is made.

Nutrients per serving: 6.1 g protein, 40.5g fat, 37.8 g carbohydrates, 1.6
mg iron, 59 mg calcium, 524 calories