Perfect Chocolate Cream Pie
An easy and delicious chocolate cream pie based on a recipe from Michele's Pies in Norwalk, CT. Cook time listed actually represents chill time.
Servings 8
Cost 5
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 prebaked 9-inch pie shell
Filling
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups whole milk 560 ml
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature 28 grams
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 10 ml
- ¾ teaspoon chocolate extract optional, but good!
- 3 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped (84 grams)
Topping
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream Can use 1 cup for less topping
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar Can use 2 T.
- Chocolate chips or chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
- Off heat, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium size saucepan.
- Whisk in the milk and egg yolks. Place the mixture over medium heat, constantly whisking and scraping the sides of the pan until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken.
- Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. When all of the butter is mixed in, add the vanilla and chocolate extract (if using). Add the chocolate a little at a time, giving each addition of chocolate the chance to melt into the filling before adding more. Keep the mixture over the heat until the chocolate is smoothly melted and the cream thickens.
- Pour the chocolate filling into the pie shell OR strain into a bowl I've always just poured it directly into the pie shell, but I recently tried straining it into a bowl and then transferring it to the shell and the filling was a little smoother.
- Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool and chill (Note: I like to let it cool at room temperature for about 40 minutes, first). When ready to serve, remove the pie from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap.
- Whip the cream and sweeten it with the powdered sugar. Stir in some vanilla. Spread or pipe whipped cream over the top.
Notes
- Crust Normally I’d make chocolate cream pie with graham or chocolate crumbs, but in this case a basic pastry crust worked perfectly because it made the pie easy to slice and was a nice savory relief from the filling.
- Filling The change I made to the filling was to add about ¾ teaspoon of chocolate extract. You could definitely taste it in the pie, so make sure to use a good chocolate extract. The only one I’ve tried is Nielsen Massey’s and I’d say it’s good.
- Topping If you want less whipped cream, use only 1 cup cream and 2 tablespoons sugar. I like more cream so I whipped 2 cups of heavy cream and added ¼ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla then piped it on with a large French star tip.
- Smaller Pie Measurements: ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons (generous) cornstarch, pinch of salt, 2 cups (16 oz) whole milk, 3 egg yolks, 1 ½ tablespoons of butter, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla, 2 oz unsweetened chocolate. Use a slightly smaller saucepan.