Chocolate Cream Pie

                 

This is a chocolate cream pie recipe I've made multiple times but I've never posted it until now.  This time I made it in little jars similar to my coconut cream pie that I made for Easter in 2013 and again in 2018.

I also made this recipe for our post-Thanksgiving potluck when Bruce's sister was visiting in 2019.  We made a banana cream and chocolate cream pie and they were both incredible.  I think it's time I post this recipe. 

This recipe is from Ina Garten's cookbook, Cook Like a Pro minus the bananas that Ina adds to her's.  For whatever reason, pie seems to be the favorite dessert for Easter dessert and since chocolate is my granddaughter's favorite flavor, I told her I would make a chocolate one for Easter this year.  We already made chocolate cupcakes earlier in the week as a warm-up and she was quite thrilled with how they turned out. 

                       

This will be our first Easter with the grandkids and we're really looking forward to it.  I set the table yesterday as you can see in the first photo (with the Final Four on TV in the background.  That game with Gonzaga vs. UCLA was truly miraculous...GO ZAGS!) and I also made little Easter baskets for each of them.  They are going to be so thrilled.  I am making a couple new recipes for our Easter menu so if they are a hit then I'll be posting more recipes soon.  I already know our dessert will be a big hit, no question about that one. Happy Easter! 

Serves 8

For the Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10-12 crackers)

1/4 cup sugar

6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the chocolate filling:

3/4 cup sugar

5 extra-large egg yolks

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 tsp. kosher salt

4 cups whole milk, scalded

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, diced

1 Tbsp. coffee liqueur

1 tsp. instant coffee powder

For the Decoration:

1 cup cold heavy cream

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

shaved chocolate, for garnish

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

2.  For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and the butter in a bowl or you can use a food processor to crush up the crackers and mix it altogether. 

3.  Press the mixture into an 11-inch false-bottom tart pan or eight 8-ounce wide mouth canning jars

4.  Bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool completely. 

5.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch and salt.

6.  With mixer on low, slowly add the scalded milk until the mixture is combined. 

7.  Pour the mixture into a large saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is very thick.  

8.  Off the heat, add the chocolate, butter, coffee liqueur and coffee powder and stir until the chocolate is melted. 

(I use these chocolate chips so you don't have to actually chop up the chocolate before adding it to the custard):

9.  Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and smooth the top.  

10.  Place plastic wrap directly on top of the chocolate filling and chill for 6 hours. 

11.  After chilling the chocolate filling, make whipped cream by placing the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until the cream forms firm peaks.  Spoon the whipped cream on top of the pie filling and gently spread with a spatula.  

12.  Garnish with grated chocolate on top of the whipped cream and add any other decorations such as jelly beans for Easter.