This easy Italian Chocolate Pie Crust or Pasta Frolla is tender and with just the right amount of chocolate taste. Use it to make a crostata, pie, tarts or even cookies. A delicious change from Classic Pie Dough.
Pasta Frolla or Italian Pastry Dough is made a little different than the traditional Shortcrust most of us are used to making. Shortcrust uses very cold butter and cold water, whereas this crust uses room temperature butter, an egg, a yolk and baking powder. A little different but quite delicious and very adaptable for making pies, tarts to even Cookies.
How to make it
I used a food processor for this recipe but you could use a stand up mixer with the flat beater attachment or even make it by hand.
In a large bowl, mixing bowl or food processor bowl add the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and sifted cocoa, mix together with a whisk. Add the egg, yolk and butter.
Combine with the flat beater, pulsing or with a fork or clean hands until almost combined. Move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead a couple of times just to bring it together. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.
Roll the dough either for your pie recipe or add some chocolate chips or even nuts and make some cut out cookies.
What to make with it
With this dough I like to make either a pie crust, cut out cookies,
or even tarts
How to blind bake
Prick the bottom of the crust well with a fork. Cover the bottom of the crust with parchment paper and add dried beans or pie weights on top, bake in a pre-heated 350F (180C) oven for approximately 20 minutes (if pie is not baked, then bake for an additional 5 – 10 minutes without the beans). If pre-baking for a fruit filling then bake for only 5-6 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove paper and beans, let cool if using for a no bake dessert, if not add the filling and continue baking.
What is the best type of flour to use
If I want to make cookies with this dough then I use a higher protein all purpose flour with at least 11-12% protein. If I use it for pies or tarts then I use pastry flour or 00 flour which has a protein count of 8-9% protein. The lower protein will give your crust a more tender and flakier crust. The higher protein will keep your cookies from spreading.
More Pastry Recipes
Italian Savory Pie Crust Recipe
Homemade Brown Sugar Pie Crust
So if you are looking for a different pie dough, then I hope you give this Italian Chocolate Pie Crust a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!
Italian Chocolate Pie Crust/Pasta Frolla
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour (292 grams)
- 1 pinch salt*
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (sifted)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- ½ cup +2 tablespoons butter cubed (room temperature) (150 grams)
*If using unsalted butter then add ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mixing bowl or food processor bowl add the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and sifted cocoa (it can be sifted directly into the bowl), mix together with a whisk.
- Add the egg, yolk and butter, combine with the flat beater, pulsing or with a fork or clean hands until almost combined.
- Move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead a couple of times just to bring it together. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.
- Roll the dough either for your pie recipe or add some chocolate chips or even nuts and make some cut out cookies, chill the cookies while the oven is pre-heated at 350F (180C) and bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet. Enjoy!
Alma jo says
Sounds great but what is pastry flour? Is it cake flour? I only see bread flour, cake flour, all purpose flour and self rising flour when I grocery shop. `
Rosemary says
Hi Alma, cake flour and pastry flour are the same. Although I did use all purpose for this recipe. Let me know how it goes.