The Perfect Duo: Chocolate and Vanilla

There are some flavors that are perfect matches—lamb and mint, ham and mustard, apples and cheese. For me, chocolate and vanilla is the perfect duo. I’ve never been a chocolaholic, but pair it with vanilla, say in a hot fudge sundae, and I can’t even think about resisting it. The pie of the month for December brings these wonderful flavors together in a festive, delicious and surprisingly easy-to-make way—Black Bottom pie.


I have made this pie for Christmas often over the years and have never failed to get rave reviews. The soft, chiffon filling has the seasonal flavor of rum and the always popular dark chocolate on the bottom. Top it with clouds of whipped cream and some chocolate curls and it makes a spectacular presentation. Be sure to make more than one.

This year I came across a variation of the standard Black Bottom pie and I loved it! The addition of bananas is a natural pairing with rum and chocolate. I can’t believe I never thought of this before. Another favorite recipe of mine is technically not a pie at all, of course, but the ultimate in the vanilla-chocolate combo—Boston Cream Pie. Enjoy these lovely desserts for all the family and party times this season—January and diet month is just around the corner.

Black Bottom Pie

9-inch baked pie shell
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2 eggs, separated
2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
3 Tbsp. cold water
2 Tbsp. rum
1 ounce melted unsweetened chocolate (cool)
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
1/3 cup sugar

Bake pie shell. Stir together ½ cup sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Blend milk and egg yolks; stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture boils. Reserve 1 cup of the custard mixture; set aside. Soften gelatin in cold water; stir into remaining hot custard mixture. Stir in rum. Place pan in bowl of ice and water, stirring occasionally until mixture mounds slightly. Combine chocolate and reserved custard mixture. Pour into baked pie shell. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Beat in ½ cup sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Fold remaining custard mixture into meringue. Spread on chocolate mixture. Chill at least 3 hours or until set. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream, piped from a pastry bag into cloud-like puffs around pie. Make chocolate curls and scatter over pie.

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

1 baked 9-inch pie shell
4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
¼ cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. butter
2 large firm ripe bananas, cut into thick slices
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
1 ½ tsp. dark rum
½ tsp. unflavored gelatin
½ cup whipping cream
5 large egg yolks
3 Tbsp sugar
½ cup chilled whipping cream
¾ cup chilled whipping cream
2 Tbsp sugar
2 firm ripe bananas, thinly sliced on diagonal

Stir chocolate, whipping cream and butter in heavy saucepan over low heat until chocolate and butter melt and mixture is smooth. Spoon 6 Tbsp chocolate mixture into prepared crust. Spread chocolate mixture with back of spoon to cover crust bottom completely. Let stand until chocolate mixture is cool but not set, about 20 minutes. Reserve remaining chocolate in saucepan. Arrange banana slices atop chocolate, pressing lightly. Combine vanilla and dark rum in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over and let stand until softened. Bring ½ cup whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan. Whisk egg yolks and sugar to blend in another small bowl. Gradually whisk in hot whipping cream. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes; do not boil. Add gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin melts. Transfer custard to large bowl. Chill until cool but not set, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Whip ½ cup chilled whipping cream. Fold into custard in 2 additions. Spoon custard into crust. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Stir reserved chocolate over low heat until just warm and pourable. Carefully pour onto center of filling. Tilt pie, rotating to spread within ¼ inch of pie edge. Chill until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes. For topping, beat ¾ cup whipping cream with 2 Tbsp sugar to firm peaks. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag with large star tip. Pipe rosettes around inside edge of crust. Place banana slices in ring alongside rosettes.