Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream PieInspired by Gourmet

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

For Crust
28 Nabisco FAMOUS Chocolate Wafers (or 1-1/2 cups finely crushed crumbs)*
1/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

For Filling
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
5 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli
2 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate, best quality such as Ghirardelli
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Topping
3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, grated or shaved

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Make filling: Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Whisk gently until combined. In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together milk and egg yolks. Add milk mixture to saucepan in a slow and steady stream, whisking until mixture is smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture starts to bubble and thicken, about 6-8 minutes. Immediately turn heat down to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, for one minute more until thick. (The constant stirring and low heat prevents the eggs from scrambling. Be sure to stand attentively at stove and keep scraping whisk against the bottom and edges of pan where mixture is more likely to overheat.) Off the heat, immediately whisk in chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla extract.** Transfer filling to a bowl. Press a piece of saran wrap directly over surface of filling to prevent film from forming and refrigerate until cool, 1-2 hours.

3. Make crust: Combine chocolate wafers, sugar and butter in bowl of food processor fitted with blade attachment and pulse until cookies are finely crushed. Press mixture firmly into 9-inch pie pan (spread it with your hands first, then use the back of a spoon or bottom of a measuring cup to press and even it out). Bake for 10 minutes until crisp. Set on rack to cool completely.

4. Once filling and crust are cooled, spoon filling into crust and spread evenly. Cover with saran wrap, pressing directly against surface of filling, and chill for at least 6 hours or up to one day.

5. Up to 3 hours before serving, make topping: Place heavy cream in chilled mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip on medium-low speed until 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 whipped cream over pie, leaving some of the chocolate filling showing around the edges. Sprinkle with grated chocolate and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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