Stabilized Whipped Cream Topping
Would it be wrong to say that the whipped cream is my favorite part of the pie? Okmaybe I should say that there simply is no Chocolate Cream Pie without the cream on top, right?
And homemade whipped cream? So, so delicious! And easy! Just keep everything cold and whip until you either soft peaks or stiff peaks.
I just whip the cream with a few spoonfuls of confectioners sugar. Theres cornstarch in the confectioners sugar and that helps to stabilize the whipped cream. As long as I keep it chilled, I dont have any issues with the whipped cream breaking or weeping. It stays nice and whipped and piped for a couple of days.
I enjoy a lightly sweetened whipped cream, but feel free to add more sugar if you like yours sweeter.
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The final step, of course, is to add a little butter for silkiness, flavor, and richness
And stir it until it melts. Again, this should only take about 4.2 seconds.
Pour it into the baked pie shell
Then smooth it out, lick whatever you use to smooth it, and pop the pie in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours. You want it to be totally cool and set!
This filling amount is enough for a deep-dish pie crust, so when I use a standard crust, I always have a little filling left over. So I just scoop it into little cups
And stick those in the fridge. Ready-to-go pudding!
At long last! The pie is chilled and ready. And gorgeous. And seductive. And irresistible.
Just like Marlboro Man.
It Took Years Of Searching To Get To A Chocolate Pie We All Deserve
It shouldnt be hard to find a decent chocolate cream pie. Its chocolate pudding, set in pie crust, topped with whipped cream. Thats it. You could use pudding from a box, a store-bought graham cracker crust and cover the whole thing with Reddi-wip from a can, and it would be a dadgum good pie.
And yet, for the first eight years of my marriage, the ultimate chocolate cream pie was my husbands personal white whale this is the story about how I drove a harpoon straight through that whales creamy, chocolaty heart.
When I first met Matt on a beer-soaked sidewalk in 2005, we were both working as pastry chefs, so we implicitly knew that a potential relationship could, if we desired, contain a substantial amount of outstanding chocolate cream pie.
What I didnt know at the time was that Matt was actively engaged in a years-long feud that was not based on pudding, but principle. On an early date, he told me the tale of a night when he was stricken with a craving for chocolate cream pie. He walked to a nearby bakery and bought an entire pie for the suspiciously low price of $4.95. He went back home, cut himself a slice, and the pie was horrible. Horrible! he shouted to me wide-eyed in the middle of a romantic restaurant, slamming his hand on the table with the ferocious passion of a man who took pie extremely seriously. I had never been more turned on in my life.
Scale and get a printer-friendly version of the recipe here.
There has never been a sweeter pie.
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How To Make The Filling For Chocolate Cream Pie
The filling for Chocolate Cream Pie is a crème patisserie or pastry cream that has a good dose ofchocolate mixed in.
Start the chocolate pastry cream by bringing half-and-half to a simmer.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a mediumbowl by hand, whisk the egg yolks until they are lightened up, about 30seconds.
Add the cornstarch and sugar, and continue whisking until themixture is glossy and slightly thickened, and the sugar has begun to dissolve,about 1 minute.
Slowly drizzle ½ cup of the hot half-and-half over the egg yolkswhile whisking continuously. Then whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the restof the hot half-and-half. It should thicken in about 30 seconds. Return tosimmer, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on the surface andmixture is thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds longer.
Take off the heat, and whisk in butter until fullyincorporated and smooth. Whisk in the chocolate, until fully incorporated andsmooth, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan. Whiskin the vanilla, then immediately pour through a strainer, then into the cooledcrust.
Cover with plastic wrap, gently pressing the plastic onto the filling, and chill until the filling is firm, about 4 hours.
What Kind Of Crust Should I Use For A Chocolate Cream Pie
This is a no bake pie, so your crust needs to be fully baked and ready to go. That being said, you can use whatever kind of crust you love.
I went with my Easy All Butter Pie Crust, mostly because I was working on my post for How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust.
Needless to say, I had a few extra crusts laying around from all the various shoots we did for that post, so I rolled with it!
Now, my pie crust isnt a sweet crust. It has a bit of sugar in it, but its a classic pie crust, serving as a buttery backdrop to whatever filling you add to it.
So, if youre looking for a sweeter crust to complement your Chocolate Cream Pie, then by all means go with a graham cracker crust or a vanilla wafer crust or maybe double down on the chocolate and use a chocolate cookie crust
You could also take an easy shortcut and just buy a premade crust at the store. Whatever you crust you love with whatever ingredients or time you have to make it works here.
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No Bake Chocolate Pie
The idea for this simple chocolate cream pie first came to me last Summer. Last August, to be more specific. It was one of those sizzling days that challenge even the most dedicated baker. One of those days theres just no way youre cranking on the oven. You know the type of day Im talking about, right?
Now it might sound strange, but I actually have a love/hate relationship with those kind of days. On the one hand, its beyond frustrating to have the heat dictate your baking life on the other hand, restrictions can spark creativity. And by creativity, I mean no-bake chocolate cream pie! Unlike many chocolate creamy pie recipes, this one is made COMPLETELY from scratch! No pudding mix or instant pudding here.
P.S. The super cute Im Just Here For Dessert pie server you see above is available HERE
I should warn you! This pie is insanely decadent. Its definitely not a dessert to serve if youre looking to reduce your saturated fat income lol. But you really only need a small piece to be satisfied. Between the Oreo cookie pie crust, the rich chocolate ganache filling, and the fresh whipped cream its a lot! I suggest slicing the pieces on the thinner side and sharing with as many friends as you can find.
Also, dont fret if the crust crumbles a little as you slice it. No-bake pies are notoriously messy. I say its part of their charm! Serve with plenty of napkins and a smile and no one will even notice if a few cookie crumbs are out of place.
What Is Instant Espresso Powder
If youre not using espresso powder in your chocolate baked goods yet you are seriously missing out. And if youre not into coffee, dont be scared off because it wont actually add any coffee flavor. Espresso powder enhances chocolate flavor, to give chocolate an even deeper, richer, tastier flavor profile that will leave everyone smacking their lips, asking what your secret ingredient is.
And you can tell them that your secret ingredient is DeLallo Instant Espresso Baking Powder
Every time we post a recipe on the blog calling for instant espresso powder we get tons of questions asking which brand we recommend, and this is it!
You all know how much I absolutely adore working with DeLallo because of their commitment to high quality ingredients. From theirs pastas, to cheeses, to jams everything they make is pretty much the best of the best. And their Instant Espresso Powder is no exception. Made with rich roasted coffee, DeLallos espresso powder dissolves seamlessly into any chocolate dessert, enhancing the chocolate flavor without adding any coffee flavor!
Try adding a teaspoon to your brownies, favorite chocolate cookies, zucchini bread, and obviously this chocolate cream pie for a little extra oomf.
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Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe For Any Occasion
If you are looking for a show-stopping dessert to serve to guests this holiday season look no further! This chocolate pie is so easy to make and is pure joy to eat!
We love to make this Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines Day, and even as a substitute birthday cake!
I just crave this chocolate pie and cannot get enough.
Making The Chocolate Pie Filling
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No Bake Chocolate Cream Pie
Do you like the pie plate I used? I have to share: its such a pretty and versatile one. It came from Barn Light Electric and is the enamelware pie plate. The pie sliced easy and popped right out, plus they come in pretty colors. Full disclosure: they sent me a pie plate so I could send them some photos of my pie for their site, but didnt pay me or even ask for a link to them. I just really love the plates and plan to buy several more!
What Is Chocolate Cream Pie:
Now I know that most of you will probably skim right through this because you know exactly what chocolate cream pie is. As you should. But for those of you who arent quite sure on specifics of the best pie ever, I will break it down. Chocolate cream pie is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a rich and fudgy chocolate pie topped with a thick fluffy layer of lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Sprinkle that with some of chocolate shavings and ooooh baby, you are in for a treat.
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How To Make The Chocolate Pudding Filling
The chocolate pudding is obviously the showstopper here. And if you’ve never made homemade pudding it is really simple and so delicious. The pudding is made in one pot and doesnt require any tempering of the eggs. You start by whisking together the sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks and then add in the milk and the chopped chocolate. I do suggest using whole baking chocolate, but chocolate chips will work in a pinch. Just make sure they are high quality is cheap chocolate chips have too many additives that may prevent a smooth pudding.
The whole mixture is cooked over medium heat, while you alternate between whisking and using a rubber spatula to scrape up any thickened bits from the bottom. The trick is to slowly heat the egg yolks with all of the ingredients at once so they dont scramble. The added cornstarch helps stabilize the egg yolk mixture so that doesnt happen. Additionally, it helps the mixture to thicken to the proper consistency. Once youve cooked the pudding, strain it, and whisk in butter and vanilla extract.
A few tips on making the pudding:
Fill And Chill The Pie
The filling will cool down slightly after straining, but it should be spread into the shell when still warm. The starches in the cornstarch are still pliable. However, once cooled to about room temperature, they align together and become rigid. This allows them to become beautiful sliceable pieces.
Refrigerate for about 3 hours before adding the whipped cream topping. You can also speed up the process by placing it in the freezer, but dont leave it longer than 2 hours. If the filling freezes, any ice formed will melt and cause the filling to release the liquid.
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Optional Homemade Whipped Topping
Here is the full post on how to make homemade whipped cream.
Tip: How To Get The Cleanest Cuts
The most important thing you can do to get clean cuts is to chill, chill, chill, chill, chill! Thats right. Chill it! And not for just a few hours. It really needs time to set up to a firm enough state to hold up to a cut.
So four hours is better than right away and overnight is better than four hours.
That doesnt mean you cant cut it sooner. But, Ill warn you now, your slices will be messier.
Ill also confess that the slices I cut the next day were cleaner than the cuts that you see in the above photo.
Secondly, clean your knife between cuts. Wipe it off on a paper towel and start each cut without any residue left from the last cut. This is a good tip whenever you cut something that leaves a messy knife.
One more bonus? Instead of the eight servings you might get from a fruit pie, this pie is rich enough to warrant 12 smaller, yet still very satisfying slices.
I guess Im finally going to have to let go of my maybe chocolate custard/pudding isnt my fave narrative because I certainly enjoyed my slice of pie 🙂
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