The Friday Baking Project Chocolate Cream Pie

Yield: 1 9″³ pie

# of Servings: 8

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 â…“ cup (5.45 oz / 154 g) chocolate wafer crumbs, from approximately 26 Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers (see note)

¼ cup (1.8 oz / 51 g) sugar

5 tbl (2.5 oz / 71 g) unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Filling:

â…” cup (4.7 oz / 134 g) sugar

¼ cup (1.15 oz / 32 g) cornstarch

¼ tsp salt

4 large egg yolks

3 cups milk

5 oz (142 g) chocolate, 55% to 64%, melted

2 oz (57 g) chocolate, unsweetened (100%)

2 tbl (1 oz / 28 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

1 ½ cup (12 fl oz) heavy cream

3 tbl confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Tools and equipment needed:

• Pie dish (9″ interior diameter, 1 â… height, 1 quart capacity)
• Heavy duty 3-qt saucepan
• Fine-mesh stainless strainer

Pre-recipe preparations:

• Make the chocolate wafer crumbs in the food processor.
• Combine the chocolates and melt.

Directions: Crust

1. Mix together the wafer crumbs and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add melted butter and stir.
2. Press evenly into the pie plate. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
4. Bake crust for 15 to 18 minutes until set and firm.
5. Place on cooling rack and let totally cool.

Chocolate Filling:

1. In a heavy-bottomed 3-qt saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks.
2. Pour the milk in slowly while whisking until smooth.
3. Stir over medium heat until the mixture comes a to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to low and cook at a simmer for 1 minute, whisking continuously. The mixture should have thickened slightly. It will thicken a lot more as it cools. Note: don’t cook filling for longer than 1 minute as the cornstarch will lose its power as a thickening agent.
5. Strain into a heat-proof mixing bowl.
6. Whisk in melted chocolates, butter and vanilla extract.
7. Press plastic film against the filling, and poke a few holes with a paring knife.
8. Let cool for 1 hour.
9. Pour into the chocolate crust, cover with plastic film, poke a few holes with paring knife, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
10. Whip cream and sugar until medium peaks. Spread or pipe (with a star tip) over the filling.
11. Cover with a dusting of cocoa or chocolate shavings.

Baking note:

• Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers are the only chocolate wafer cookies I have seen in the marketplace. They were seemingly created to be made into chocolate crumbs. For some reason they have become difficult to find in most supermarkets. I suggest grabbing a box if you see them in the cookie isle, and save for a day when you’re ready to dive into this recipe.