Ragged Rock Black Bottom Pie. A delicious chocolate custard bottom layer topped by a lightly rum flavoured gelatine mousse in a chocolate cookie crumb crust.

Ragged Rock Black Bottom Pie.
This is my take on a classic and pretty simple no-bake black bottom pie that combines the flavors of chocolate and Ragged Rock rum. That’s one of our local brands here in Newfoundland.
You can, of course, substitute any good quality rum in this recipe. Hey, rum and chocolate…how bad can that possibly be? 😉

Dark Chocolate Chips at 50% cocoa is my favourite for this recipe.
Black Bottom Pie ticks a lot of boxes for me. First it’s pie! I love a good pie.
It also includes chocolate and originates in the South. I have a fondness for old fashioned recipes from the South too.
Wikipedia says about its origin. “Black bottom pie is thought by some to be of Southern origin, the “black bottom” representing the dark, swampy lowlands along the Mississippi River.
Other sources have identified an origin in Louisiana or Oklahoma City in the early 1940s. Its invention has been claimed by Monroe Boston Strause of Los Angeles.
Strause, who was known as the “Pie King”, was the inventor of the chiffon pie and the graham cracker crust.”
An interesting history no matter the origin.
The addition of the rum can be optional, for a more traditional version. Just add an additional 1/4 cup of milk to the custard when making it.
If you are a big pie lover like me, be sure to check our collection of Rock Recipes Best Pies.
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Ragged Rock Black Bottom Pie
A delicious chocolate custard bottom layer topped by a lightly rum flavoured gelatine mousse in a chocolate cookie crumb crust.
Ingredients
For the cookie crumb crust
- 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 2 tbsp sugar
For the filling layers
- 2 teaspoons gelatine
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup rum
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 1/3 cup sugar
Instructions
To prepare the crust
- Combine the cookie crumbs, butter and sugar together and press into the bottom and sides of a lightly greased 10 inch pie plate.
To prepare the rum gelatine layer
- Soften 1 envelope (2 teaspoons) gelatine in ¼ cup milk. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan combine the 2 cups milk, cornstarch, egg yolks and sugar.
- Heat just to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Measure off 1 cup of the custard and to it add the chocolate chips
- Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the custard is smooth. Spread in the bottom of the prepared cookie crumb crust.
- To the remaining custard add the softened gelatine and stir until it is dissolved into the mixture, then stir in the vanilla extract and rum.
- Place the custard bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula until the gelatine in the custard begins to partially set, forming soft mounds.
- With an electric mixer begin to beat the egg whites and cream of tarter to soft peaks.
- Gradually beat in the 1/3 cup of sugar.
- Continue to beat until the sugar is dissolved and the meringue is quite stiff.
- Slowly begin to beat in the custard by large spoonfuls, beating well after each addition until all the custard is incorporated.
- Pour the mixture over the chocolate custard in the prepared cookie crumb crust.
- Chill the pie in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours or overnight before garnishing with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or melted chocolate and serving.
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Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1 sliceAmount Per Serving Calories 382Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 73mgSodium 211mgCarbohydrates 52gFiber 1gSugar 34gProtein 6g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Rebecca
Wednesday 23rd of June 2021
This is my brother-in-law's favorite pie. I made it for him for Father's Day. I used 1 Tbs of rum extract instead of real rum. I was hesitant in trying this because I don't like hard liquor, but it was pretty good, surprisingly. And, I experimented with my slice by dusting the top of the whipped cream (I covered the whole top) with coffee powder and it tasted a bit like Tiramisu. A win-win for us all. Thanks
Rosabella
Saturday 19th of June 2010
I've been looking for a good Black Bottom Pie recipe for years...I think I've found it! Thanks for sharing!
grillicious
Tuesday 6th of May 2008
that was totally rock! never sayno to chocolate!