Chocolate Cream Pie

Rich and decadent, a Classic Chocolate Cream Pie is what dreams are made of. Homemade dark chocolate pudding is topped with silky whipped cream and chocolate shavings and tucked inside of a sweet pie pastry.

Classic Chocolate Cream Pie

Everyone should know how to make Chocolate Cream Pie because it is just such a classic. And honestly? It’s not that hard to make. Yes there are three components to put together–the crust, the pudding and the whipped cream, but the end result is worth the effort! And definitely don’t take any shortcuts on this one because a homemade Chocolate Cream Pie is worlds away from anything you can get at the store or bakery. A crisp crust holds that silky and rich chocolate pudding with piles of whipped cream and it’s simply amazing. Let’s get baking, shall we?

Chocolate Cream Pie Ingredients

• Pâte sucrée (sweet pie crust)
• Dark chocolate
• Granulated sugar
• Cornstarch
• Salt
• Egg yolks
• Whole milk
• Unsalted butter
• Vanilla extract
• Stabilized whipped cream

Pie Crust Options

There are three crust options for this pie. A Pâte Sucrée is a just sweet pie crust that is very stable and a great choice for this pie. If you are looking for really clean looking slice, choose this one.

If you are looking to up the chocolate game, make it in a Chocolate Sweet Cookie Crust. This is similar to the Pâte Sucrée but the chocolate version!

Another option would be an Oreo Cookie Pie Crust or a Gluten-Free Chocolate Pie Crust. Both will need to be baked instead of using the freezer method.

A final option is to make it in a Graham Cracker Crumb Crust. The slices of pie won’t be as neat as the photo below because this is a heavier pie filling, but it will certainly taste delicious. And, a graham cracker crust is super easy to make. I’ve made the pie both ways and both were delicious, so it’s just a matter of what you feel like making and for what you are making it for.

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 doesn’t 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 don’t scramble. The added cornstarch helps stabilize the egg yolk mixture so that doesn’t happen. Additionally, it helps the mixture to thicken to the proper consistency. Once you’ve cooked the pudding, strain it, and whisk in butter and vanilla extract.

A few tips on making the pudding:

1. Make sure to have a rubber spatula and a whisk handy. I use both to make sure the the mixture cooks evenly. I swap between using them while I’m cooking the pudding to make sure I’m getting all the mixture out of the crevices of the pot while whisking to ensure a consistent cook.
2. Don’t walk away from the pudding. It takes no more than 10 minutes to cook. Also, it’s especially important to stir almost constantly in the beginning when you are cooking it to ensure no egg yolks get stuck to the bottom of the pot and scramble.
3. Strain the pudding to get rid of any small bits of cooked eggs you might have. It makes the final pudding smoother.
4. Make sure to put the cooked pudding directly into the prepared pie crust. It will set pretty firm; you want to make sure the pudding does so inside of the pie crust instead of a bowl. If you whisk it after it’s been cooled, it has the potential to break down some of the structure of the pudding and will make serving the pie difficult because the pudding could be loose.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS

As with most pies, there are a few steps you need to complete to get to the finished pie. A lot of these components can be broken down into steps and done ahead of time. As always, I encourage you to make the pastry and roll it out ahead of time. The more time you give the gluten to chill out, the better your pie will be.

1. Make the pie dough ahead of time. You can do it up to 2 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
2. Roll out and bake the pie dough: This can be done about 1 day ahead of time.
3. Make the chocolate pudding: It should be noted you cannot make the pudding alone ahead of time. It has to be made and placed directly in the baked crust immediately. But you can do this step up to 2 days in advance if placed in the crust.
4. Whip the cream: The cream is stabilized so it can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. It may need a quick mix with a hand whisk the further ahead it is made.
5. Assemble the pie: The entire pie can be assembled 1 day in advance. It can last up to 2 days, but leave the cream off until you are ready to serve in case it needs a brief whisk.

More chocolate pie recipes:

• Malted Milk Chocolate Pie
• Mint Chocolate Chip Pie
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie

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