Cookie dough pie

I wrote this recipe at the beginning of the year for Good Food magazine, and since then, it’s easily become my most requested bake. Fortunately, it’s easy to put together but it takes time for the dough to chill and settle. So far this year, I’ve made it massive and nut-free for a string of school cake sales, loaded with sprinkles for any and everybody's birthday, with tiny chocolate eggs for Easter and no doubt I’ll end up making one stuffed with Malteser reindeers this coming Christmas. A tiny slice is all you’ll ever need and leftovers are fantastic eaten straight from the freezer, with a little espresso.

A delightful cookie dough pie adorned with colorful star and circle sprinkles is served on a plate against a vibrant pink background, with slices revealing its rich, gooey, Kinder-filled interior.

Prep: 30 mins plus chilling and cooling

Cook: 50 - 60 mins

Serves 16

Ingredients

200g butter, at room temperature

225g light muscovado sugar

1 egg  + 1 yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

325g plain flour, plus extra, for dusting

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

150g milk chocolate chips

350g jar chocolate hazelnut spread

100g white chocolate chips

100g multipack 8 Kinder Mini Chocolate Bars

Method

Beat the butter and sugar together with electric beaters or in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, a pinch of salt and the milk chocolate chips and mix with a spatula to form a stiff dough (if the mixture feels dry, add a small splash of milk).

Separate the dough into roughly two thirds and one third. Pat into 2cm thick discs, wrap and chill for at least 1 hour. 

Roll the larger disc out into a 23cm round and use to line a 20cm spring form cake tin, using your fingers to press the dough 3cm up the sides of the tin.

Stir the chocolate spread with a spoon to soften it a little then stir in the white chocolate chips. Spread most of the mixture over the cookie dough base. Press the chocolate bars deeply into the chocolate spread then use a small spatula to spread the remaining mixture over the bars, levelling off the surface, there should be around 1cm of cookie dough rising above the filling. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes or so to firm up the filling.

Roll the remaining dough out into a 19cm disc and lay on top of the filling, inside the cookie dough rim. Use your fingers to smooth over the edges and enclose the filling. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, gas mark 4. Place the cake tin on a baking tray. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, covering loosely with foil once the top is golden brown. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature in the tin before carefully lifting out then chill for at least 1 hour before slicing.