Delectable Classic Chocolate Cream Pie

It's World Baking Day today! Looking for something to bake? then take a look at this delicious recipe for a classic chocolate cream pie!

Depending on how sweet you'd like your pie, you can choose between 53% cacao dark chocolate (for a sweet taste), 70% cacao dark chocolate (for a more bitter taste), and 85% cacao dark chocolate (for a bitter taste).

INGREDIENTS

Sweet Pie Pastry:

• 1-½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (30 grams) powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt (see note)
• ½ cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, diced into ½” pieces
• 1 large egg

For Hebert's Chocolate pudding:

• ¾ cup (175 grams) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (30 grams) cornstarch
• Pinch coarse kosher salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3 cup (680 grams) whole milk
• 8 ounces (230 grams) of chopped Hebert's dark chocolate, plus more for garnish (four 2.15oz bars, or two and a half 3.5oz bars)
• 4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Stabilized Whipped Cream:

• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (230 grams) heavy cream

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the Pastry:

1. Add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until well combined. Add in the butter and pulse 5-7 times, or until the butter is broken down into tiny pebbles.
2. With the motor running, add in the eggs and let the dough process until it forms together into a cohesive ball around the blade, about 1 minute.
3. Transfer the dough to a flour-dusted work surface.
4. Roll out the pie dough to an 11″ circle and line a 9” pie plate, crimp the edges as desired. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork. Place the pie in the freezer while the oven preheats, at least 15 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
6. Once chilled, line the pie dough with a parchment round piece of paper and then add pie weights (or dry rice or beans or lentils), pushing pie weights to the edges.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment and pie weights. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the pastry is fully cooked through. Set aside until ready to use.

Make the Pudding:

1. In a heavy-bottomed medium pot, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in the egg yolks and about ⅓ of the milk until smooth. Whisk in the remaining milk, then stir in the chopped Hebert chocolate.
2. Turn on the heat to medium. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly and occasionally using a rubber spatula to scrape up any thickened pudding in the edges of the pan, until the pudding has fully thickened and large bubbles are forming and popping, about 8 minutes. 
3. Remove from the heat and immediately pour the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, using the spatula to push all the pudding through the strainer. Whisk the butter and vanilla into the pudding until fully combined.
4. Transfer the pudding into the prepared pie crust. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding to prevent a "skin" from forming. Let cool to room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. 

Assemble the Pie:

1.  To the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until the cream cheese is smooth, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the heavy cream and beat on medium speed until the cream has reached soft stiff peaks, about 2 minutes more.
2. Place whipped cream on top of the pie. Using an offset spatula spread the cream evenly on top of the pie. Garnish the pie with additional pieces of chopped Hebert chocolate.
3. Serve immediately or keep chilled until ready to serve, up to 1 day.

 

This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease by about half for volume, or use the same amount by weight.

weighing your flour is the most accurate way to measure. If you aren't going to weigh it, make sure to spoon it into the cup, and then level it off. If you scoop the flour out with the measuring cup and then level, it could change the outcome of the final product.

 

Want a quicker option for a pie crust? An Oreo Crumb Crust works well here too.

Due to the stabilized whipped cream, the pie can be kept fresh for a day. However, as time passes, the pudding will become thicker and eventually release some liquid. It is recommended to serve the pie within 24 hours of making the pudding for best taste.