Once the frosting has cooled to a warm (not hot) temperature, carefully spread it evenly over the set chocolate layer in the pie plate. I like to leave a small border of chocolate visible around the edge. At this point, the pie needs its final chill. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight. This extended chill is crucial—it allows the chocolate layer to firm up to a perfect, sliceable fudge consistency and lets all the flavors meld beautifully. The wait is the hardest part, but it’s what makes each clean, gorgeous slice possible.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I tested the chocolate layer three ways: using all semi-sweet, all German’s, and the half-and-half mix. The 50/50 mix was the unanimous winner for the most authentic, balanced flavor. All semi-sweet was too grown-up and bitter for the classic profile, and all German’s was a bit one-note sweet.
Here’s what I learned the hard way about the frosting: if you add the coconut and pecans while the mixture is boiling hot, the coconut can become soggy and the pecans can lose their crunch as they sit. Letting the cooked milk mixture cool for 15-20 minutes before stirring in the nuts and coconut preserves their wonderful texture in the finished pie.
For the cleanest cuts and to prevent the topping from sticking to your knife, run a sharp, thin-bladed knife under very hot water, wipe it dry, and make one confident slice. Wipe and reheat the blade between each cut. This slices through the firm chocolate and sticky topping like a dream, giving you perfect wedges.(See the next page below to continue…)