British Pie Week: A celebration of classic pies with room for chocolate twists
British Pie Week is an annual celebration of one of the UK’s favourite comfort foods. This year, it runs from 2 to 8 March 2026, giving you a full week to bake, buy, share, and enjoy pies in all their forms.
Pies are part of everyday food culture across the UK. Some are simple and homely, some are pub favourites, and others are showstoppers saved for weekends and gatherings. British Pie Week is a good excuse to revisit the classics, try something new, and support local bakers and pie makers.
Typical savoury British pies include:
- steak and ale pie
- chicken and mushroom pie
- fish pie
- pork pies
- and cheese and onion pies.
Sweet pies are just as loved, especially fruit pies like apple, apple and blackberry, and other seasonal variations.
This is also a great week to experiment. Chocolate might not be the first ingredient that comes to mind for pies, but it can work surprisingly well. Dark chocolate can add depth to savoury sauces, and it pairs beautifully with fruit, caramel, cream, and pastry in sweet pies.
To make it easy and fun, try a pie-a-day challenge for the full week. Start with traditional favourites, then add a few chocolate-inspired pies as the week goes on.
Pie-a-day: Seven pies to try during British Pie Week
| Day | Pie to try | Chocolate twist idea |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1: Monday | Chocolate pudding pie | Go for a rich chocolate filling in crisp pastry, served warm with cream. |
| Day 2: Tuesday | Lemon meringue pie | Blind-baked pastry layered with white and dark chocolate ganache, topped with a sharp lemon filling and finished with soft, lightly toasted meringue for a balanced sweet-sharp finish. |
| Day 3: Wednesday | Apple and blackberry pie | Add dark chocolate chunks under the fruit, or drizzle melted chocolate over the pastry once baked. |
| Day 4: Thursday | Chocolate banoffee pie | A buttery biscuit base topped with melted banoffee milk chocolate, rich caramel, fresh banana slices, and softly whipped vanilla cream. |
| Day 5: Friday | Pecan pie with chocolate & ganache | Blind-baked pastry brushed with dark chocolate, filled with toasted pecans and a rich syrup filling, then finished with a dark chocolate and pecan ganache. |
| Day 6: Saturday | Chocolate stout dessert pie | Use stout to intensify cocoa flavour, then serve with cream or vanilla ice cream. |
| Day 7: Sunday | Steak and ale pie | Add a small square of dark chocolate to the gravy for extra depth and richness (not sweetness). |
Here are 3 simple pie recipes to try this week
🌰 Pecan Pie (with chocolate ganache)
(Vegan alternatives given)
- Blind-bake ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (or vegan shortcrust, buy online) (320 g) until golden
- Brush base with dark chocolate (60 g), melted, and allow to set
- Whisk together eggs (150 g) (or vegan flax eggs: ground flaxseed (30 g) + water (150 g), soft brown sugar (180 g), golden syrup (200 g), unsalted butter (vegan butter) (60 g), vanilla extract (5 g), and salt (3 g)
- Fold in toasted pecans (200 g)
- Pour filling into pastry case and bake until just set
- Cool fully, then finish with ganache made from dark chocolate (100 g), (we used Stateside’s Pecan Pie) and double cream (vegan/coconut cream) (120 g)
- Find the Peacan Pie Bar in our chocolate shop.
🍋 Lemon Meringue Pie (with chocolate ganache & white chocolate drizzle)
- Blind-bake ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (320 g) until golden, follow pack instructions
- Make a thin ganache – gently warm dark chocolate (80g) (we used Lemon & Cardamon Dark Chocolate) and a little double cream (40g), spread over the hot pastry base and let cool
- Cook the lemon filling:
- combine caster sugar (200 g), cornflour (30 g)
- whisk in water (300 g), lemon juice (120 g = about juice of 4 lemons), lemon zest (10 g), egg yolks (80 g = about 4 eggs)
- put on gentle heat for 5-8 mins and continually whisk until you get a lovely, thick, silky sauce
- melt in unsalted butter (40 g)
- Pour lemon filling over the chocolate ganache
- Whip egg whites (120 g) with caster sugar (240 g), until peaking, then spread or pipe on top
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan) for 15-20 mins, until golden
- Chocolate Option: Melt white chocolate (80g) with double cream (40g), (we used Kernow’s Lemon Meringue White Chocolate) and drizzle or spread over the top of the meringue
- Find the Lemon Meringue Bar and the Aromatic Cardamon Dark Chocolate Bar in our chocolate shop.
🍌 Banoffee Pie (with milk chocolate biscuit base)
- Mix crushed digestive biscuits (250 g), unsalted butter (120 g), and milk chocolate (100g) (we used Kernow’s Banoffee Milk Chocolate) and press into a dish
- Add a layer of caramel (400 g)
- Top with sliced bananas (300 g)
- Finish with softly whipped cream made from double cream (300 g), icing sugar (20 g), and vanilla extract (5 g)
- Find the Banoffee Milk Chocolate Bar in our chocoalte shop.
Check out these delicious pies to plan your pie week
How to add chocolate without making everything taste like dessert
Chocolate doesn’t need to be sweet to work in a pie. Dark chocolate can add depth in savoury fillings, a bit like coffee does in some recipes. The key is using a small amount and pairing it with big, bold flavours.
- For savoury pies: choose dark chocolate and add it to gravy or sauce, not directly into the filling in chunks.
- For fruit pies: chocolate works best as a drizzle, a thin layer under fruit, or small chunks that melt into the filling.
- For creamy pies: balance sweetness with salt and use cocoa-rich chocolate for a deeper flavour.
Chocolate pie flavour ideas to try at home
- Dark chocolate and cherry: rich, sharp, and not too sweet.
- Chocolate orange: a crowd-pleaser that tastes instantly familiar.
- Chocolate and salted caramel: ideal for banoffee-style pies.
- Chocolate and raspberry: bright flavour that cuts through richness.
- Chilli and dark chocolate: best with beef or bold spices for a savoury twist.
Bring British Pie Week to the Chocolatarium
If you love the idea of pairing flavours and trying something new, British Pie Week is a great excuse to explore chocolate more creatively. At the Chocolatarium in Edinburgh, you can discover how different chocolates taste, learn what makes flavours work together, and pick up inspiration you can take straight back to your own kitchen.
Try the pie-a-day challenge, keep notes on your favourite flavour combinations, and finish the week with one chocolate pie you’d be proud to serve to guests.
Post your daily pie photos on social media and tag the Chocolatarium so we can see what you’re making (and eating). Add the hashtag #PieADayChallenge so everyone can follow along, swap ideas, and get inspired.
