225 g / 8 oz plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
140 g / 5 oz butter
2 tbsp caser sugar
1-2 tbsp cold water
For the Filling:
175 g / 6 oz butter
350 g / 12 oz soft dark brown sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
150 g / 5 ½ oz, plain chocolate
300 ml / 10 fl oz, single cream
1 tsp, chocolate essence
To Decorate:
425 ml / 15 fl oz, double cream, whipped
Chocolate flakes
Method:
1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and enough cold water to mix to a soft dough. Wrap the dough and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 190 oC/ 375 oF/ Gas Mark 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a 23-cm/ 9 inch loose- bassed flan tin or ceramic flan dish. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans from the pastry case and cook for a further 10 minutes until crisp.
3. To make the filling, beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl and gradually beat in the eggs with the cocoa powder. Melt the chocolate and beat it into the mixture with the single cream and the chocolate essence.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 oC/ 325 oC/ Gas Mark 3. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake for 45 minutes, or until the filling has set gently.
5. Let the mud pie cool completely, then transfer the pie to a serving plate, if you like. Cover with whipped cream.
6. Decorate the pie with chocolate flakes and curles and the chill until ready to serve
make sure you leave enough time for the cake to properly set and cool down before adding the cream to the top.