Decadent Chocolate Cream Pie {PIE #7}
A sweet surprise is cradled between the chocolatey custard and the chocolate cookie crust of this creamy pie. A thin ribbon of sweet caramel sauce is a perfect accent in this recipe. I believe this is because the chocolate custard is big on chocolate flavor, but considerably low in sugar. The freshly whipped cream also has just a scant tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar. So about this time, you could be wondering how this pie could possibly be labeled “decadent” with trace amounts of sugar. What it lacks in sweetness, it makes up for with creamy richness.
INGREDIENTS:
CRUST
1-1/3 cup Oreo Cookie crumbs (about 2 dozen sandwich cookies, filling removed
5 Tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the crumbs, butter and sugar together and press evenly into the bottom and up the side of a 9-inch pie dish.
Bake until crisp, about 13-15 minutes
EASY CARAMEL SAUCE
5 oz. Karft Caramel Bits
3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine caramel bits and whipping cream in a glass measuring cup. Microwave on high 2-3 minutes,
stirring intermittently until melty and smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour into cooled cookie crust.
FILLING
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 cups whole milk
4 oz. Ghiradelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate
2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 oz. Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
2 Tablespoons soft butter
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk egg yolks into milk until a little frothy. Pour milk into sugar mixture, in a steady stream, whisking to combine. Bring this mixture to a slow boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat a cook one minute, the filling should be thick. Force this mixture through a fine sieve into a clean, glass bowl. r Add chocolate and butter stirring, until incorporated and smooth. Finally add vanilla, then set filling aside to cool completely, covering it with a buttered piece of parchment paper.
Whipped Cream
Approximately 30 minutes before you want to serve the pie, it is time to make the whipped cream. Place stainless steel mixing bowl and whisk attachment from stand alone (KitchenAid) mixer (or the beaters from your hand held mixer) in the freezer for 5 minutes before you’re ready to beat the cream. Cream should be well-chilled.
Measure 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream into the chilled stainless steel bowl. With whisk attachment in place, beat the cream on medium until slightly thickened (about 2 minutes). Add 1-2 Tablespoons confectioner’s sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Combine, and beat on high for 3-4 minutes, or until cream is to desired stiffness. Spread, or pipe rosettes of cream, over top of chocolate custard and decorate the top of the pie with chocolate shavings, toasted nuts or Oreo Cookies. Chill pie until ready to serve.