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Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie

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Yield: One 9” pie
King Arthur Baking

A true diner classic, Chocolate Cream Pie is a head-turning treat, and just the thing for lovers of both chocolate and pie. The crust is prebaked, then filled with a cooked, cooled chocolate filling. Topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream, it’s the perfect combination of crispy crust, dense chocolate-y filling, and ethereal cream garnish. This is a tall pie with a generous amount of filling. You can customize the chocolate flavor to your taste, by using bittersweet, semisweet, milk chocolate, or any combination of these that you like.
Prep 1 hr 30 mins Bake 25 mins Total 4 hrs 25 mins

Crust

  • 1½cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¼cup vegetable shortening
  • 4TBS unsalted butter, cold
  • ⅛-¼cup ice water

Filling

  • 2TBS unsalted butter
  • 1⅓cups semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • ⅔cup granulated sugar
  • 3TBS cornstarch
  • 2TBS unsweetened cocoa, Dutch-process or natural
  • 1tsp espresso powder, optional; for richer chocolate flavor
  • ⅛tsp salt
  • 3large egg yolks
  • 1cup heavy cream, divided
  • 2cups milk

Topping

  • 1cup heavy cream
  • ¼cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ½tsp vanilla extract

Make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Work in the shortening until it’s in lumps the size of small peas.

Dice the butter into ½” pieces and work it into the mixture until you have flakes of butter the size of your fingernail. Add the water 2 TBS at a time, mixing with a fork as you sprinkle the water into the dough.

When the dough is moist enough to hold together when you squeeze it, with no floury patches or bits of dry pastry in the bottom of the bowl, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface. Fold it over on itself three or four times to bring it together completely, then pat it into a disk ¾” thick, rolling the disk to smooth its edges.

Bake the crust: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9″ pie pan that’s at least 2″ deep.

Roll the pastry into a 13″ circle. Transfer it to the prepared pan and trim the edges so they overlap the edge by an inch all the way around. Tuck the edges up and under, and flute or crimp them. Put the lined pie pan in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes.

Line the crust with foil or parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and gently remove foil or parchment with the weights or beans. Return the crust to the oven for 10 to 20 more minutes, until it’s golden-brown all over. If the edges of the crust start becoming too brown, cover them with a pie shield, or strips of aluminum foil. Remove the crust from the oven and cool completely.

To make the filling: Place the butter, chopped chocolate, and vanilla extract in a 2-quart mixing bowl; set aside.

In a medium saucepan off the heat, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, espresso powder, and salt. Add ½ cup of the heavy cream, whisking until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Whisk in the egg yolks.

Place the saucepan over medium heat, and gradually whisk in the remaining ½ cup cream and milk. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly as the mixture thickens; boil for 1 minute. The temperature of the mixture will be around 200°F after 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture over the reserved chocolate and butter. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pass the filling through a strainer into a bowl to remove any lumps. You can use the back of a ladle, a flexible spatula, or a wooden spoon to stir it through the strainer. Scrape the underside of the strainer occasionally with a clean spatula to help the process along.

Place plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill thoroughly. A shallow metal bowl with more surface area will chill the filling most quickly.

To make the topping: Place the heavy cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip until the whisk or beaters begin to leave tracks in the bowl.

Add the sugar and vanilla and whip until the cream holds a medium peak.

To assemble: Spoon the cooled filling into the cooled, baked pie crust. Level the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream on top. Note: If you’re not planning on serving the entire pie at once, top individual slices with a dollop of whipped cream just before serving.

Chill the pie until ready to serve. For best slicing, refrigerate the pie overnight before serving.

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Chocolate Soufflé Malakoff

Chocolate Soufflé Malakoff

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Yield: 8 – 10 servings

Recipe from Julia Child

1984: This is not the easiest dish to make but it is good enough to be worth the effort. I made this quite often for Christmas when we lived in NH.  It’s been a long time, but in 2017 I used it for New Year’s Eve.

  • 3½oz semisweet chocolate
  • 1oz unsweetened chocolate
  • ¼cup plus 3 TBS dark rum
  • 1¼cups sugar
  • 2TBS instant coffee
  • 2sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
  • 6oz toasted hazelnuts, ground, (about 1½ cups loosely packed)
  • ½tsp pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 2cups heavy cream, chilled
  • 32lady fingers or 8 x 4½ sponge cake cut into lady fingers.
  • shaved chocolate for garnish


Melt chocolate:

In a medium saucepan, combine the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate. Cover and place in a larger pan partially filled with boiling hot water; set aside to melt.  You can also use a microwave to melt the chocolate.  Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between.

Add and mix the rum to the melted chocolate. Set the pan of chocolate over the ice and stir until cool but not chilled. Delicately fold the chocolate into the whipped cream.

Make simple syrup:

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of the sugar, the coffee and ⅓ cup of water. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear. Bring to a boil and let boil for several seconds. Remove from the heat and set in a pan of cold water; stir until tepid.

Blend the syrup:

Add the syrup by dribbles into the perfectly melted chocolate. Beat in the butter, 1 TBS at a time using a portable mixer. Stir in the ground hazelnuts, vanilla and salt.

Make the whipped cream:

Pour the heavy cream into a bowl set over a larger bowl of ice. With a portable mixer, beat until the cream is almost doubled in volume and the beaters leave light traces on the surface, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the cream from the ice.

To assemble:

Encircle a 6-cup soufflé dish with a double thickness of wax paper, to make a collar standing 3 inches above the rim of the dish. Dissolve the remaining ¼ cup sugar in ½ cup of warm water and add the remaining 3 TBS rum. Lay the ladyfingers or cake in a dish and dribble the syrup over them. Cover the bottom of the soufflé dish with an even layer of the ladyfingers.  In my 1.6L corning-ware dish, I used 8 for each layer; Add ¼ of the mousse and spread. Repeat with the remaining ladyfingers and mousse. Chill.

Remove wax paper and garnish with the shaved chocolate.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

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Yield: 4 Servings

Martha Stewart

December 2016: I tried this recipe for a slightly simpler mousse. It came out quite nice and may be a little thicker than the first one. Because bittersweet chocolate is high in pure chocolate (at least 35 percent cocoa solids), it’s best used when a deep chocolate flavor is called for. It’s also a great eating chocolate. Semisweet chocolate, which has more sugar and fewer cocoa solids than bittersweet, can often be substituted in recipes without significantly affecting the flavor or texture.

  • 4large egg yolks
  • 4TBS sugar
  • 2cups heavy cream
  • 8oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
  • 1tsp vanilla extract


In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, 2 TBS sugar, and ¾ cup heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until mixture coats back of spoon, 3 to 4 minutes (do not boil and do not go over 180°F). Remove from heat; whisk in melted chocolate and vanilla. Strain into a bowl; chill until cool.

With an electric mixer, beat remaining 1¼ cups heavy cream with remaining 2 TBS sugar until stiff peaks form. Stir ⅓ of whipped cream into cooled custard mixture, then gently fold in the rest with a rubber spatula.

Spoon into serving dishes; chill, covered, at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Black Magic Cake

Black Magic Cake

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Yield: 8 to 10 Servings

Hershey’s

This is a personal favorite. The coffee adds an interesting character to this cake.

  • 2cups sugar (HA: 1¾ cups)
  • 1¾cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
  • 2tsp baking soda (HA: 1½ tsp)
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1tsp salt
  • 2eggs
  • 1cup buttermilk** or sour milk* (HA: 1¼ cups)
  • 1cup strong black coffee OR 2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee plus 1 cup boiling water
  • ½cup vegetable oil
  • 1tsp vanilla extract


Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan, two 8- or 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (Batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.

Bake:

50 to 55 minutes for fluted tube pan,

30 to 35 minutes for 9″ round pans,

35 to 40 minutes for 8″ round pans,

35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan

or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen cake from side of pan and remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost as desired. Makes 12 servings.

* To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.

** Saco Buttermilk powder:

Add ¼ cup of powder to the dry ingredients and 1 cup of water to the liquid ingredients.

(HA: ¼ cup plus 2 TBS of powder to the dry ingredients and 1¼ cup of water to the liquid ingredients.)

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Betty Crocker

My granddaughter says this isn’t enough frosting for a layer cake doing a crumb coat, the middle, top and sides. She also made many colored rosettes for the top. If you need extra frosting for rosettes or other decorations, add another cup of sugar and 1/2 a stick of butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla and more milk.

Note: Be sure to use powdered “cane” sugar. Some powdered sugar comes from beets and can make the frosting grainy.

  • 4cups powdered “cane” sugar
  • 1cup butter (2 sticks), softened
  • 2tsp vanilla
  • 2 to 4TBS milk

In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 2 TBS of milk.

Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar.

Frosts 13×9-inch cake generously, or fills and frosts an 8- or 9-inch two-layer cake.