Chocolate Cream Pie With Whipped Cream

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 03/8/22
chocolate pie

Brian Leatart / Getty Images

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Chill Time: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 1 pie
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
662 Calories
41g Fat
60g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 662
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 41g 53%
Saturated Fat 22g 109%
Cholesterol 135mg 45%
Sodium 388mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 6g 22%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 156mg 12%
Iron 6mg 36%
Potassium 437mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Luscious, silky, decadent—these are all perfect words to describe a well-made chocolate cream pie. Here's another word: easy. Chocolate cream pies don't require any oven time, just a few hours chilling in the refrigerator, so you can make it in the morning and it will be ready by dessert. Plus, it's a highly adaptable recipe. Therefore, feel free to change up the type of crust, add something special to the filling, or come up with a creative topping for the whipped cream.

Ingredients

For the whipped cream:

Steps to Make It

  1. In the top bowl of a double boiler, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, chocolate, and salt. Stir in milk.

  2. Cook mixture over boiling water, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, or until chocolate mixture has thickened. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

  3. While whisking, gradually add about half of the hot chocolate mixture into beaten egg yolks. Return the egg mixture to the double boiler, stirring well.

  4. Cook over boiling water, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from heat, and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

  5. If there are some lumps in the filling, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Pour the filling into a baked pie shell. Chill the pie in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.

  6. In a mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream with confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff. Spread over chocolate cream pie and return to refrigerator until serving time.

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of foodborne illness.

Tips

  • Use a vegetable peeler to peel off chocolate shavings to sprinkle over the top of the whipped cream.
  • Replace the standard pre-baked pastry shell with a chocolate graham cracker crust or a chocolate sandwich cookie crust. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the cookie crumbs into the pie pan.
  • Chop up your favorite chocolate candy bar and sprinkle the bits over the top of the whipped cream. Press them slightly into the whipped cream, so they don't fall off easily.
  • The pie leftovers last in the refrigerator for up to three days. It's not advised to make the pie in advance and freeze because, when thawed, it will separate and become watery.

Recipe Variations

  • Peanut butter chocolate pie: Combine 7 ounces of sweetened condensed milk with 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Pour the peanut butter filling into the pie shell first, and then layer the chocolate filling and whipped cream topping over it.
  • Chocolate mocha pie: Add 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules and, optionally, 2 tablespoons Kahlúa to the chocolate filling.
  • S'more pie: Replace the whipped cream topping with 40 regular-sized marshmallows arranged over the chilled pie filling. Ten minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the pie for 5 minutes until the marshmallows are lightly browned. Serve immediately.