Rose's Baking Basics

Chocolate Cream Pie

Serves 8

Refrigeration Time: 8 to 12 hours

Baking Equipment: One 9 inch standard pie plate

A 10 loop piano wire whisk (see Baking Pearls)

For the chocolate lover this is, hands down, the most glorious of American pies. The buttery, crisp, fragile chocolate crumb crust blends perfectly with the satiny dark chocolate filling and lofty whipped cream topping.

Chocolate Crumb Crust for a 9 inch pie Makes about 250 grams/1½ cups

unsalted butter	100 grams	7 tablespoons (¾ stick plus 1 tablespoon)
Chocolate Wafers or Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers	255 grams	2 cups crumbs, lightly packed
fine sea salt (omit if using purchased wafers)	.	2 pinches
pure vanilla extract	.	½ teaspoon (2.5 ml)

Make the Crust

1. In a 1 cup glass measure with a spout, in the microwave, or in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.

Food Processor Method

2. Process the cookies and salt, if using, into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and vanilla and pulse a few times just until incorporated.

Hand Method

2. Place the cookies in a gallon-size reclosable freezer bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl and mix in the salt, if using. With a fork, stir in the melted butter and vanilla and toss to incorporate.

Both Methods

3. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press the crumb mixture into the pie plate and partway up the sides. If the crumbs stick to your fingers, place plastic wrap on top of the crumbs.

4. After the crumbs have been spread out, use a flat-bottomed, straight-sided measuring cup or glass tumbler to smooth them evenly over the bottom and all the way up the sides. Press the crumbs at the juncture where the bottom meets the sides, which always tends to be thicker.

5. As you press the crumbs against the sides they will rise above the rim. To create an attractive border, use your opposing index finger to press against them from the other direction, which will form a little ridge. Chilling the crust for a few minutes firms the butter and makes this easier. Refrigerate the pie shell while making the filling. It needs to be cold and firm when covering the filled pie with plastic wrap.

Chocolate Cream Filling

4 (to 6) large egg yolks (see Baking Pearls)	74 grams	¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons (69 ml)
milk	726 grams	3 cups (711 ml), divided
unsweetened cocoa, preferably alkalized	25 grams	⅓ cup (sifted before measuring)
cornstarch	27 grams	3 tablespoons
sugar	133 grams	⅔ cup
fine sea salt	.	a pinch
fine-quality dark chocolate, preferably 61% cacao	170 grams	6 ounces
unsalted butter	28 grams	2 tablespoons
pure vanilla extract	.	1 teaspoon (5 ml)

Mise en Place

▪ Set a medium-mesh strainer over a large bowl and place it near the cooktop.

▪ Into a 2 cup measure with a spout, weigh or measure the egg yolks.

▪ Into a 4 cup measure with a spout, weigh or measure the milk.

▪ Grate or finely chop the chocolate.

Make the Chocolate Cream Filling

1. Add the cocoa, cornstarch, and 60 grams/¼ cup/59 ml of the milk to the egg yolks, and, with a small whisk, blend until smooth.

2. In a heavy medium saucepan, use the large piano wire whisk to combine the remaining 666 grams/2¾ cups/652 ml milk, the sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a full boil over medium heat, stirring often. Whisk about ¼ cup of this mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Then whisk the egg mixture back into the rest of the milk mixture.

3. Over low heat, continue cooking, whisking rapidly and making sure to reach into the bottom edge of the pan, until the mixture starts to bubble, thickens, and begins to pool a little when dropped back on the surface. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter. Whisk until the chocolate and butter have melted and the mixture is smooth, and then whisk in the vanilla. Immediately use a silicone spatula to press the mixture through the strainer and scrape any mixture clinging to the underside into the bowl.

4. Place a piece of plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray directly on top of the chocolate filling to keep a skin from forming. Without stirring, allow the filling to cool just until room temperature or barely warm, about 1½ hours.

5. Without stirring, scrape the chocolate filling into the prepared pie shell. It will fill the shell up to the top. With a small offset spatula, smooth the surface to make it even. Lightly coat a new piece of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray and place it directly on top of the chocolate filling.

6. Refrigerate the pie for at least 8 hours to set thoroughly.

Lightly Sweetened Whipped Cream Makes 244 grams/2 cups/474 ml

heavy cream	232 grams	1 cup (237 ml)
superfine sugar	13 grams	1 tablespoon
pure vanilla extract	.	1 teaspoon (5 ml)

1. At least 15 minutes before whipping, in a medium metal bowl, mix together the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate with the handheld mixer beaters alongside.

2. Using a handheld mixer, whip the mixture, starting on low speed and gradually raising the speed to medium-high as it thickens, until it mounds softly when dropped from a spoon (or just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised if planning to pipe it).

Apply the Whipped Cream

7. Up to 1 hour before serving, remove the plastic wrap from the pie. Top the pie with the whipped cream and use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to make opulent swirls. (Alternatively, spoon the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a decorative pastry tube and pipe it over the top of the pie.) If desired, garnish the top with chocolate curls.

Serve the Pie

8. Just before serving, wet a large dish towel with very hot water. Set it in the sink and shape it into a nest. Set the pie plate into the hot towel so that it surrounds the entire pie plate up to the rim, and allow it to sit for a minute before slicing and serving. When adequately heated, the crust including the rim will detach easily from the pie plate. After removing the first piece, it helps to run a small offset spatula under the bottom crust to be sure it releases. If necessary, return the pie plate to the hot towel.

Store Without the whipped cream, filling covered with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray: refrigerated, 3 days.

If using a stabilized whipped cream: refrigerated, 2 days, or 3 days if covered with an inverted bowl.

Baking Pearls

The ratio of white to yolk in an egg can vary to such a degree that you may need as few as 4 or as many as 6 eggs for this recipe. It is therefore advisable to weigh or measure the separated yolks and add or reduce if needed.

A fine-wire 10 loop piano wire whisk makes it easier to produce a smooth chocolate cream filling.

If you would like to add the whipped cream several hours to 1 day ahead, make the cornstarch-stabilized version.

Making Chocolate Cream Pie