Stars Wars – Episode IV; the story that started it all. I don’t know Jawa Trader Talk but I they do know how to wheel & deal. The Jawa also kept Tattooine pristine from scrap metal, keeping the planet clean. For their service the Jawa certainly deserve the honor of being immortalized in pie, even though their motivation may not have been stellar.
The Jawa eyes peering at you are buttercream piped onto chocolate cream filling. The bottom crust holding it all together is a buttery chocolate pie crust. The Jawa is a chocolate sugar cookie-type crust, designed to break off in pieces to serve with the chocolate cream. No Jedi powers needed.
You may want to check out R2D2 Fruit Pie or Star Wars mini salted caramel pies. It’s okay if you prefer fruit or other characters over Jawa; the Jawa are misunderstood creatures.
First thing first, use a 9-inch pie plate with handles, place upside down and trace onto parchment paper. This is your guide in building your Jawa. This is also the pie plate you will use for baking the bottom crust. The handles help support the Jawa’s hood, both top and bottom.
For the Jawa top you will need to roll out and cut 3 pieces of dough: 6 x 22 inches and two sections about 4 x 6 inches, cut at angle to cover seams at front.
Place a metal pie plate upside down on the parchment with the outline guide drawn on. Cover the bottom of the metal pie tin with one of the 4 x 6 pieces, about 1-1/2 inches over the flat surface. Roll out the bulk of the dough to about 6 x 22 inches onto a separate piece of parchment & trim off jagged edges with pizza cutter. Pick up the parchment with the long strip, flip over and position & peel off parchment (there will be tearing). You will need to trim off more as it will be too wide for sides. Use the trimmed pieces to roll into balls or logs of dough and place under hood area for added depth.
Now you get to play. Smash any tears together, use water for “glue,” shape the hood point, use some shallow custard cups to raise up opening of the hood, cookie cutters to prop it open. Use your imagination and what you have. No Jawa will bake the same; trust me, using the same technique produced slightly different results each time. Use an ice pick to poke small holes around edges to complete the look. The Jawa needs to bake for 30 minutes; cooling completely before removing the supports.
Lift off the top for easy slicing up the chocolate cream pie. I plan on taking a chunk off the hood and using it as a spoon. May the 4th Be With You and your pie shenanigans!
May the 4th Be With You – Jawa Chocolate Cream Pie
Ingredients
Chocolate Filling:
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 large whole eggs
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Chocolate Pie Dough (single crust-prebaked bottom crust) 9-inch pie plate:
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (equals one cube)
- 3 tablespoons cold water
Chocolate Cookie Dough for top crust-Jawa hood:
- 2-1/3 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup butter (8 ounces)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons Yellow food coloring
Instructions
Chocolate Filling:
- Whisk the eggs and yolks together in a large bowl until completely blended and set aside.
- In a large sauce pan stir the sugar, cornstarch, and unsweetened cocoa together making sure there are no lumps. Whisk in the cream and milk. Over medium temperature, heat the mixture until very steamy, while whisking.
- Using a measuring cup, whisk in about 1/2 cup of the steamy hot mixture into the eggs to temper them and then pour the eggs back into the sauce pan.
- While constantly whisking, heat the mixture until it starts to bubble and thicken (about 5 to 6 minutes).
- Remove from heat and pour in chocolate chips and stir until completely melted. Stir in vanilla and pour filling into a large heat proof bowl, press plastic wrap onto surface and refrigerate until cold.
Pre-Baked Chocolate Pie Crust:
- Preheat Oven to 350.
- In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. With a large fork or pastry blender, work in butter until crumbly.
- Add cold water and stir just enough to form a dough ball. Roll on flour dusted surface, place in pie plate. For the Jawa let the edges remain flat.
- Using a fork pierce the bottom of the crust, cover in foil and add weights (dry beans or rice) and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and return to oven for 6-7 minutes. Let cool completely before adding pie filling.
Jawa Chocolate Cookie Top Crust
- In a mixing bowl beat the sugar and butter for about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Beat in the egg and food coloring for about 1 to 2 minutes
- In a separate bowl stir the flour and unsweetened cocoa together, add all at once to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and stir until it forms a smooth dough. The dough will be dark but will lighten as it bakes.
- Using a pie plate with handles, draw and outline on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place and inverted metal pie tin in the center.
- Roll out pieces of dough for the head on floured parchment for easy transfer (these are all approximate): 6 x 22 for top and sides of hood; two pieces 4 x 6 for “mouth” area under the hood and finishing piece (see pictures above)
- Slide in shallow custard cups and cookie cutters, anything metal or glass will work. Bake for 30 minutes @ 350 degrees F. Let cool completely before lifting off and placing on pie.
Final Assembly:
- Spread cooled chocolate filling into cool baked crust, mounding the filling in the center and smooth with a flat edge knife.
- Pipe on two eyes with frosting or use yellow candy, anything yellow! Place the baked pie crust on top and you are now one with the Jawa.
