Chocolate Cream Pie

When I was growing up, my Mom used to make a “chocolate pie” as one of her circulating desserts. This pie consisted of a homemade pie crust, and a chocolate pudding filling, made from a box mix. That was it! Simple? For sure. It probably took about 30 minutes to make. Inexpensive?? Absolutely.

But there were 2 problems with this pie as I see it. 1. It didn’t go very far in a family of 6. We were lucky if there was even 1 piece leftover after everyone had a slice. 2. It was not very “pretty”. It was fairly thin, had a glossy top, and the texture was a bit “wet”. Well, after all, it was PUDDING!

And somehow in my family – that coveted left-over piece of pie, ended up being saved for the “baby” in the family – my brother Jason. We still don’t know exactly why he ranked at the top of the food chain when it came to that chocolate pie, since we all would have loved 1 more piece. We all just accepted that the last slice of chocolate pie in the frig was not to be touched, since it was meant “for your brother”!!

So I have created my own version of that CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE from my childhood. It’s a pie that my Mom would think is both beautiful AND delicious. This pie will serve 8-10, since it is thick and rich. It is completely homemade, with a smooth, yet sturdy texture, and is topped with a creamy mascarpone whipped cream, and handmade chocolate curls!!

Sorry Jason, the last piece of this pie is for me!

I used a chocolate tart crust for this pie. You could make a regular or chocolate pie crust, a graham cracker or oreo crumb crust, or even a store bought crust (if you must). Any of these will work. Just PRE-BAKE the crust, according to your recipe or package.

Recipe for CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

Makes 1 – 9″ pie. Serves 8-10

Prepare your chosen crust, and pre-bake. Set aside to cool.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING FILLING

Ingredients:

1/3 c granulated sugar
2 1/2 c milk
6 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp corn starch
6 Tbsp salted butter, cut into 6 pieces
8 oz semisweet bar chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks and corn starch. Whisk together til well-combined and smooth. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add sugar and milk. Whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently.

Once the milk is simmering, add a ladle of the hot milk to the egg mixture SLOWLY, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Add 1 – 2 more ladles of the hot milk, continuing to whisk til smooth. Then slowly whisk the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, and comes to a very gentle boil. Remove from heat at this point.

Add the butter pieces, chopped chocolate, and vanilla. Stir until very smooth, and well-combined.

Pour the chocolate filling into the prepared pie crust, and smooth the top.

Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Make CHOCOLATE CURLS

All you have to do for this, is melt about 6 oz of chopped, semisweet bar chocolate. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring til smooth and melted. Pour onto the back of a sheet pan, and spread thin using an off set spatula. Cool in the refrigerator for about 5 min (or outside if it’s cold in the winter!). Make 1 to 1 1/2″ curls using a bench scraper. Press the scraper firmly on the sheet pan, on the edge of the chocolate, and scrape up the chocolate til a small roll forms. It’s ok if they vary in size or break, as that will make the topping arrangement look the best! Continue making the curls, and set them onto another smaller pan, lined with parchment. Refrigerate while you finish the pie.

Prepare the MASCARPONE WHIPPED TOPPING

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c heavy cream
3/4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz mascarpone cheese

Whip the heavy cream and sugar in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment. Whisk on high til stiff (about 2-3 min). Add vanilla. Scrape down the sides. Continue whisking, and add the mascarpone cheese by spoonfuls. Continue to whip until mixture is stiff and well-blended. Don’t over mix.