Chocolate Hazelnut Pie

The pie can be made one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Allow the pie to return to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Ingredients for the pie:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup hazelnuts, skinned and toasted
1/4 cup all purpose flour, plus more to dust the pie dish
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup hot water
4 eggs
1 stick butter, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, at room temperature, plus more to grease the pie dish
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* * * * * * *

Ingredients for vanilla whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 T powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparing the pie:
Position an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Put 1/2 of the chocolate chips, hazelnuts, and flour in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the hazelnuts are coarsely chopped. Pour the hazelnut mixture into a small bowl and set aside. Combine remaining chocolate chips and sugar in the food processor. Blend until the mixture is finely ground. With the machine running, gradually add the hot water until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Pulse until mixture is blended. Return the hazelnut mixture to the food processor and pulse to incorporate. Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured 9-inch pie dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Place the pie on a cooling rack and cool for 1 hour. (Top may crack during cooling.) Refrigerate for 2 hours.

* * * * * * *

Preparing the whipped vanilla cream:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks.

Serves 8