Memories are dangerous things.
You turn them over and over, until you know every touch and corner, but still you’ll find an edge to cut you.

―Mark Lawrence, Prince of Thorns

Happy Pi/pie day!

This year, I was inspired by mosaic art and wanted to devise a way of tiling a pie.
I brainstormed what type of medium I could use to make tiles, cycling through sprinkles or piped royal icing to painted crust (like last year), until deciding that I wanted to try something completely new.
I took sliced almonds and dyed them with vodka/food coloring baths, then let them dry down slightly, sliced them into shape, and dried them in an ultra-low oven. The food coloring actually helps the almonds become easier to cut without splinters because the moistness binds the layers of the nuts together a little bit.
The design was planned on a plate before transfer, and I used tweezers and cookie scribes/sugar needles to place the tiles.
The effect is super fun and whimsical, and I can certainly see this technique being used to make lots of different patterns and designs.

The pie itself is a double-hit of chocolate, with a buttery oreo crust, sweet and crumbly, and thick, silky, bittersweet chocolate custard filling, lightly flavored with vanilla and almond.
Custard/cream pies always strike me as wonderfully retro, and this one in particular avoids being too old-fashioned with a perfect balance of salty sweet with dark chocolate. It’s mostly no-bake; though I prefer to send my cookie crusts on a quick stint in the oven, you could easily choose not to and keep it entirely as an icebox pie.

My serving suggestion is a nice thick slice with a cold glass of milk.

Pi day, previously:
2022: Klimt lemon pie
2021: lime and coconut pie
2020: toasted black sesame pie
2019: black bottom cherry pie
2018: brown butter smoked salted honey pie
2017: vegan campfire pie
2016: brûléed citrus and lime pie

Pie, previously:
2022: squash pie
2018: plum and frangipane pie
2017: perfect peach pie
2016: pumpkin meringue tart
2015: apple, pear, butterscotch, and cheddar pie
2015: fig, rosemary, and lemon tart
2014: coconut buttermilk chess pie
2014: peach slab pie
2014: American pie
2013: Pumpkin spice brown butter chocolate pecan pie

Double Chocolate Almond Pie 
filling recipe lightly adapted from Samantha Seneviratne via NYT 

ingredients:
for the oreo crust:
22 (250 grams) regular oreos
55 grams (4 tablespoons) butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt

for the chocolate custard filling:
100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
30 grams (3 tablespoons) cornstarch
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
720 grams (3 cups) whole milk
6 large egg yolks
225 grams (8 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
28 grams (2 tablespoons) butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

to assemble:
vodka
gel food coloring
sliced almonds

directions:
Make the oreo crust: pulse oreos in food processor until they are fine crumbs and filling is broken up.
Drizzle in butter and add salt; pulse until the mixture begins to come together.
Press firmly into a pie pan.
Refrigerate until firm; in the meantime, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake crust for 10 minutes, until fragrant and set.
Allow to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the custard: whisk sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt together.
Whisk the egg yolks into the dry ingredients until fully homogeneous.
Heat up the milk until just barely simmering.
While whisking constantly, ladle one spoonful of hot milk into the egg yolks to temper.
Add another ladleful and whisk until combined.
Pour all of the egg mixture into the hot milk and whisk over medium low heat until smooth and thickened, about 8 minutes.
Cook until it is bubbling, about 1 more minute.
Push the custard through a fine mesh sieve and discard any solids.
Stir in chopped chocolate and cubed butter, then vanilla and almond extracts.
Stir until smooth and combined.
Pour into prepared crust and smooth with a spatula.
Chill until set, at least 4 hours.
Meanwhile, prepare your almond mosaic: dye the almonds by soaking them in vodka tinted with food coloring for at least 3 minutes, then spread out on parchment paper to dry.
While slightly moist, slice into desired shapes.
Top pie with sliced almonds.