Peake Practice. Weekly food news column featuring restaurateur Ray Peake, of Callums Bistro, Accrington.

I BELIEVE I am qualified to write about chocolate not only with enthusiasm but with true passion.FOR THE CONNOISSEUR: If you take your chocolate seriously you may wish to consider joining The Chocolate Society. I have, but then I am a self-confessed chocoholic.

For details of membership write to: The Chocolate Society, Clay Pit Lane, Roecliffe, Boroughbridge, YO51 9LS. Tel: 01423 322230.

Recipe for chocolate pie

(Serves 4-6) or one if your name is Ray Peake.

MAKING THE PASTRY

500g plain flour

250g butter

125g icing sugar

1 whole egg

2 egg yolks

1/8 pint milk

METHOD

1. Cream the butter.

2. Sieve the flour and icing sugar and mix with the butter.

3. Add the eggs and mix.

4. Fill with baking beans.

5. Bake the pastry "blind" for 20 minutes. Gas 7.

CHOCOLATE PIE MIX

300g plain dark good quality chocolate

200g butter

2 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

60g caster sugar

METHOD

1. Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl (by your preferred method as previously described).

2. Add the butter to the melted chocolate.

3. Whisk eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl until light and fluffy then fold into the melted chocolate.

4. Pour the mixture into the tart case.

5. Bake in oven, gas mark 3 for 30 minutes.

6. Either eat immediately with whipped cream or allow to cool and store in fridge.

NOTE

This pie is best served warm and is easily re-heated in an oven, Gas 3 for only 2-3 minutes.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.