For those of you have been “around the block” a few times, you will remember Home Ec class. Yes, this was a required class. For me middle school, circa 1976, Einstein Jr. High, ah, yesteryear, sigh. My adorable teacher had the “Dorothy Hamill” hair which was all the rage. (Olympic gold medalist skater). And this cute teacher taught us how to make Frango Mint Pie.
Frango Mint is a chocolate truffle pie inspired by Frango Mint truffles. The truffles were usually only available at Christmastime, and only at Frederick’s & Nelson where I grew up in Seattle. The stores are long gone, but thankfully the truffles are still around.
Peppermint and Mint combined with pure vanilla is what makes this velvety smooth pie diabolically delicious. This is not a grasshopper pie (grasshopper refers to the color green w/mint in the food world). Although green is my favorite color, the only green in this pie is the one person who did not put their name on the last slice, hence making them green with envy.
Chocolate grahams, honey grahams, or chocolate cookie crust all taste great (today I used chocolate grahams). Either way, the main event is the Frango Mint, so go with what you have on hand.
Use a custard cup, as shown below, to press in the pesky corners of the crust before baking. It will even out and firm up the sides and bottoms, much more effective than using just your fingers (like I used to).
This does have raw eggs, but you can purchase pasteurized eggs at the supermarket. Follow this link for instructions to pasteurize eggs.
Beat the butter and sugar until very creamy and fluffy. In separate bowl mix cocoa and oil until blended. Beat the chocolate into sugar/butter mixture. As it is beating the color will lighten up and become fluffy (about 5 to 6 minutes).
Add eggs one at a time, beating in between, and then add extracts. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust and refrigerate at least two hours before serving. Store in refrigerator.
Don’t forget to put your name on the last slice. This is one of our family favorites so there’s usually some shenanigans in securing the last slice.
Frango Mint Pie
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups powder sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 prepared 9-inch chocolate cookie crust
Instructions
Frango Mint Filling
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until very creamy and fluffy (about 3 to 5 minutes).ย Set aside.
- In separate bowl mix cocoa and oil until blended. Add to the sugar/butter mixture and beat at high speed for about 5 to 6 minutes. The color will lighten up and become fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating in between, and then add extracts. The filling will be very creamy. Spread into prepared crumb crust and refrigerate at leastย 3 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator.
Notes
Keep the water temperature at 140 F for 3 minutes (and no more than 142F), reducing the heat on the burner if necessary. Remove eggs from hot water and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Store in the refrigerator until needed or use right away. Jumbo sized eggs need to 5 minutes in 140F water.
I made three over the past week.
1. For neighbors
2.To bring to daughter for Christmas
3. At my daughter’s for one forgotten
So . . . can I freeze the pie in my refrigerator that was intended for my daughter’s Christmas ๐
Pies #1 and #3 were great ๐ I cannot vouch for #2 as it remains untouched.
BTW, I asked this question before but need an answer to settle dispute with my wife: Should butter be melted or just softened?
Softened, not melted (I hope on the right side of everything). And, if 1 and 3 are good, chances are #2 is going to be fab!
Hi- would it work to substitute the powdered sugar for powdered Monk Sweetner to make it Keto?
I am not a keto expert, but check out my vegan chocolate cream pie, I used monkfruit sweetener. It did change the flavor profile, but myself & some vegan friends loved it.
Hi Linda!
How long do you beat the mixture in between adding the eggs? Your finished product looks wonderfully fluffy–is this because of how long you beat the eggs?
Thanks for this recipe!
The fluffy part comes from the initial beating of the butter and sugar, the colder the butter the longer it will take. However, the filling will definitely fluff up more with the eggs quite quickly, I probably beat the eggs about 45 seconds to barely 1 minute in between. Send me a picture when you’re done, I would love to see it!!!
Lisa! This was also served at Frederick & Nelsons in Washington, way back in the 1970s until they were all closed and torn down. My grandmother used to take me to their restaurant for lunch; loved it!!
Thank you for this recipe…I grew up with the Chicago version of Frangos at Marshall Fields…I cannot wait to try this recipeโlooks very similar to the two pies that were served in Marshall Fieldโs Walnut Room on State Street in days gone by; one was a Frango Cheesecake, the other was a Frango Pie!
1/2 teaspoon peppermint
1/4 teaspoon mint
Is this peppermint extract? Peppermint oil? What is the other mint? Spearmint? Do you use the regular extract from the grocery or a specialty oil?
I use peppermint and mint extract, however, one year I could not find one of them and used the oil from a cake supply store. The ratio of oil to extract: 1 teaspoon extract = 1/4 teaspoon oil.
You can find straight up Mint at Target here, but not at Winco. Not sure what stores they have in your neck of the woods. It does not state what kind of Mint “Mint” is, but anything other than Peppermint should do the trick, it just needs 2 different kinds so it is not “one note.”