Chocolate Cream Pie With Espresso Whipped Cream
Servings 8
Ingredients
**For the Crust:**
- – 1 par-baked crust see link for our favorite flaky pie crust
- – 3 oz chopped dark chocolate
- – 2/3 cup sea salt caramel optional, see link for our recipe
**For the Filling:**
- – 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- – 1/4 cup cornstarch
- – 2 large eggs
- – 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt
- – 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- – 5 ounces dark chocolate best quality, such as Valrhona
- – 4 tablespoons salted butter
**Espresso Whipped Cream:**
- – 1 1/3 cups heavy cream
- – 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- – 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- – 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- – Chocolate shavings for topping optional
Instructions
**Chocolate, Caramel Lined Crust:**
- Have a par-baked and cooled flaky pie crust ready.
- Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave in short increments, stirring every 30 seconds, or use a double boiler.
- Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the pre-baked crust. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes until hardened.
- Spread the caramel evenly over the chocolate layer. If the caramel is too thick, warm it slightly until it reaches a spreadable consistency (not hot).
- Keep the chocolate caramel crust in the fridge until ready to fill.
**Chocolate Pastry Cream:**
- Set up a bowl with a fine-mesh sieve on top to strain and cool the pastry cream once cooked.
- In another bowl, whisk together cornstarch and sugar. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
- In a saucepan, heat the milk, salt, and vanilla extract over medium-high heat until just below boiling, stirring to prevent sticking.
- Gradually add 1/3 of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the remaining hot milk. Whisk over medium heat until thickened, just to a boil.
- Remove from heat and pour through the sieve into a bowl.
- Add the dark chocolate and stir until melted. Then add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, stirring until smooth.
- Let the pastry cream cool for 10 minutes, then pour into the prepared crust. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
**Espresso Whipped Cream:**
- In a large bowl, whip the cream on medium-high speed. As it thickens, add sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla extract. Whip until medium-firm peaks form.
- Remove the pie from the fridge, discard the plastic wrap, and top with whipped cream. Optionally, garnish with chocolate shavings before serving.