Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie is an especially good idea.  And it’s an especially good idea for a number of reasons:

• #1:  It’s an incredibly easy pie to make, even if you’re not the best pie baker.
• #2:  It’s a good recipe to cross off the ‘ol bucket list.
• #3:  Adults love it as much as kids do.

• #4:  It’s chocolate (duh).
• #5:  It’s impressive.  It looks like you did something amazing.
• #6:  People will think you bought it at a bakery (or one of those pie restaurants).

Here’s a little something about how it comes together:  The sweet, creamy base is heated in a saucepan until the mixture begins to thicken.

It should look a little something like this.

Unsweetened chocolate is stirred in, where it will melt quickly.

And then you’ve got this!  At this point, you must try with all of your might not to taste a spoonful.  I’m warning you now… your chocolate filling may not make it into the pie pan.  It’s totally addicting.

That creamy chocolate filling- so warm and wonderful just lures you in and is willing you to take a bite!  Don’t do it!  You won’t be able to stop!

Scrape that delicious chocolate mess into a baked pie crust.  You can get all fancy here and use your great grandmother’s best pie crust recipe, or you can use the store bought stuff and just bake it.  It really doesn’t matter all that much since the chocolate is the star of the show in this pie.

I’m not afraid to buy the store-bought crust, by the way.  I certainly take the time to make homemade pie crust once in a while, but in a pinch I will buy the store-bought stuff.  It’s decent enough to use sometimes.

Spread it out evenly in the crust and set the pie aside to cool completely.

Add a layer of whipped cream on top (I whipped heavy whipping cream with a small amount of added sugar), then shave some chocolate on top (how to do that is in the tips in the recipe below).  Refrigerate it for several hours or overnight, then slice and eat.

Here are a few final reasons why Chocolate Cream Pie is an especially good idea:

• #7:  You don’t even have to bother with a homemade crust if you don’t want to.
• #8:  See number 4 again.
• #9:  Because everyone you serve this to will love you forever.
• And finally Number Ten:   You can’t stop eating it (wait… maybe that’s not such an incredibly good idea, after all)!

Print Recipe

Chocolate Cream Pie

Yield: One 9-inch pie

Prep Time:30 minutes

Cook Time:15 minutes

Ingredients:

• One baked 9-inch crust
• 1 1/4 cups granulated white sugar
• 2 tablespoons All Purpose Gold Medal® Flour
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 4 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream (liquid cream)
• 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
• 1 chocolate bar (such as Hersheys)

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt.
2. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the milk and egg yolks. Gradually whisk the milk/eggs into the saucepan to combine with the sugar mixture. Turn heat to medium and continue to whisk the mixture until the mixture thickens. This is the bummer part because it will take about 15 minutes. Just keep stirring gently (or put a kid on the task to stir for you), until the mixture comes to a full boil and has thickened to the consistency in the photo shown (pudding-like). Remove the pan from heat and stir in the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Whisk until the chocolate is fully incorporated.
3. Pour the chocolate custard into the baked pie shell. Set it aside to cool completely. If serving same day, whip the cream with the sugar and spread it on top of the chocolate layer. Shave curls of chocolate onto the whipped cream. Refrigerate for several hours until ready to serve. If serving tomorrow, place plastic wrap over the pie, then add the whipped cream and shaved chocolate the next day, at least an hour before serving.

Tips:

• To shave the chocolate bar: I like to soften up the chocolate a little bit before shaving. I just place it on a paper towel and microwave it for about 5 seconds. Then take a potato peeler and shave the edges of the bar to gather some shavings onto the top of the whipped cream.

SOURCE: RecipeGirl.com