How to Make a Silky Chocolate Cream Pie

With a cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding center and pillowy whipped cream topping, this pie is a chocolate lover’s dream.

My dad was a serious chocoholic. This chocolate cream pie was his all-time favorite dessert, and I used to make it for him every year on Father’s Day. My 19-year-old son, Zach, took after my dad in the dessert department, and has requested this pie for his birthday since he was a little boy. Needless to say, the pie is a family favorite and shows up in a lot of our family photos! With its chocolate cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding center, and pillowy whipped cream topping, it is truly a chocolate lover’s dream. The crust is made with Nabisco chocolate wafers, which aren’t always easy to find. Oreo thins make a great substitute (and there’s no need to remove the filling). Be sure to plan ahead because the filling needs at least eight hours to set up before serving.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Begin by making the crust. Combine the chocolate wafers, sugar and butter in bowl of food processor fitted with the blade attachment.

Pulse until the cookies are finely crushed.

Pour the crumbs into a pie pan.

Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan (spread some of the crumbs up the sides first, making the crust just shy of 1/4-inch thick, then press the remaining crumbs onto the bottom; use a the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to even out, if you like). Bake for 10 minutes until crisp.

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk gently until combined.

In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk and egg yolks. Add the mixture to the saucepan in a slow and steady stream, whisking until the mixture is smooth.

Cook over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, 6-8 minutes. Immediately turn the heat down to a simmer and cook — whisking constantly, especially around the edges — for one more minute until thick. (The constant stirring and low heat prevents the eggs from scrambling. Be sure to scrape the whisk against the bottom and edges of the pan where the mixture is more likely to overheat.)

Turn off the heat, then immediately add the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla extract.

Whisk until smooth.

Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top. Press a piece of saran wrap directly over surface of the filling to prevent a film from forming; chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Up to three hours before serving, place the heavy cream in chilled mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip on medium-low speed until the whisk or beaters begin to leave tracks in the cream. Add the sugar and whip until the cream holds medium, silky peaks. Go slowly towards the end; if it gets grainy or curdled, you’ve gone too far.

Spoon the whipped cream over the filling.

Spread the whipped cream, leaving some of the chocolate filling showing around the edges. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chocolate Cream Pie

With a cookie crust, silky chocolate pudding center and pillowy whipped cream topping, this pie is a chocolate lover’s dream.

Servings: 8-10

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST

• 28 Nabisco Chocolate Wafers (or 1½ cups finely crushed crumbs)*

• ⅓ cup sugar

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

FOR THE FILLING

• ⅔ cup sugar

• ¼ cup cornstarch

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 4 large egg yolks

• 3 cups whole milk

• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE TOPPING

• 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, grated or shaved

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE CRUST

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine the chocolate wafers, sugar and butter in bowl of food processor fitted with the blade attachment and pulse until the cookies are finely crushed. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan (spread some of the crumbs up the sides first, making the crust just shy of ¼-inch thick, then press the remaining crumbs onto the bottom; use a the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to even out, if you like). Bake for 10 minutes until crisp.

FOR THE FILLING

1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk gently until combined.

2. In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk and egg yolks. Add the milk mixture to the saucepan in a slow and steady stream, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, 6-8 minutes. Immediately turn the heat down to a simmer and cook -- whisking constantly, especially around the edges -- for one more minute until thick. (The constant stirring and low heat prevents the eggs from scrambling. Be sure to scrape the whisk against the bottom and edges of the pan where the mixture is more likely to overheat.) Off the heat, immediately add the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla extract; whisk until evenly combined.

3. Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top. Press a piece of saran wrap directly over surface of the filling to prevent a film from forming; chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

FOR THE TOPPING

1. (Up to 3 hours before serving) Place the heavy cream in chilled mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip on medium-low speed until the whisk or beaters begin to leave tracks in the cream. Add sugar and whip until the cream holds medium, silky peaks. Go slowly towards the end; if it gets grainy or curdled, you’ve gone too far. Spread the whipped cream over the filling, leaving some of the chocolate filling showing around the edges. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. *Nabisco cookies available in the cookie aisle at most major supermarkets. Sometimes they can be hard to spot. At my local Giant, they’re on the top shelf near the Oreos. If you can't find them, crushed Oreo thins make a good substitute.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

• Per serving (10 servings)

• Calories:663

• Fat:43 g

• Saturated fat:24 g

• Carbohydrates:67 g

• Sugar:49 g

• Fiber:3 g

• Protein:9 g

• Sodium:367 mg

• Cholesterol:172 mg

Special thanks to Jennifer Segal, for the recipe and images. You can support Jennifer by purchasing her cookbook, "Once Upon a Chef, the Cookbook," featuring over 100 delightful recipes.