Yep, there are lots of good chocolate pie recipes out there....Hershey's Chocolate Cream Pie recipe, Easy Chocolate Cream Pie with Instant Pudding, Homemade Chocolate Pie.....so many options, it's hard to choose. Enter Chocolate Cream Pie.....The Easy Way. Problem solved - it's a keeper recipe you'll make again and again.
1pre-baked pie crust, golden browncan be homemade or store-purchased crust
Chocolate Cream Pie Filling
1/2cupgood quality cocoa powder, I use Hershey's cocoa powder
1 1/2cupsgranulated sugar
1/3cupcornstarch
1/2tsp.kosher salt or 1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2cups2% milk
1/2cupwhipping cream
3Tbs.butter
1 1/2tsp.vanilla extract
2Hershey chocolate bars, 1.55 oz. each, divided use
Whipped Cream Topping
2cupswhipping cream
1/2cuppowdered sugar
1tsp.vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Pie Filling
In a large glass bowl, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch, and salt; gradually stir in the milk and cream.
Place the bowl of ingredients into the microwave. Using high power, cook the pudding in 2 minute increments, stirring in between each one; continue in this manner until the pudding is nicely thickened, approx. 6-8 minutes cooking time total. Carefully remove the hot pie filling from the microwave; add one of the Hershey candy bars, and the butter, stirring gently until the pie filling is smooth and glossy; reserve to let the pie filling cool a bit. When the pie filling has cooled from hot to warm in temperature, stir in the vanilla extract.If you aren't going to assemble the pie until a later time, place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the pie filling, placing the bowl into the fridge.
When the pudding has cooled, and you are ready to assemble the pie, spread the pudding into the baked pie crust, smoothing it out on top.
Make the Whipped Cream Topping
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form and hold their shape when you lift the mixture with a spoon or spatula.
Top the pudding in the pie crust with the prepared whipped cream, spreading it out as desired. Top the whipped cream with chocolate bar shavings, if desired.
Notes
Making the pie filling in the microwave is the best ever way to go. It's easy to scorch a cream pie filling when you make it on the stove top, no matter HOW careful you are.
That's why making the pie filling in the microwave makes such a difference when you make a cream pie - there's NO SCORCHING to worry about.
Be sure to stir the pie filling every two minutes until it thickens up and BOOM! it's done.
If you want to use a purchased pie crust from the freezer section of your grocer to bake at home, don't sweat it. I do this all the time when I'm in a rush.
You don't have to use a homemade pie crust in this recipe, truly. A store purchased one that you bake still makes a delicious pie, truly!
To make the chocolate shavings to sprinkle over the top of the whipped cream, use a potato peeler on a
Yes, this pie filling is actually pudding, as are most cream pie fillings. Soooo, if you ever just want to make this chocolate pie filling to serve to your kiddos as pudding cups, you sure can.
Since you've already cooked the pie filling in the microwave, it will need to go into a pie crust that is also cooked ahead. Bake your pie crust until it is nicely golden brown on the top and the bottom, then add the cooked pie filling.