All of that’s about to be forgotten, though, when you make this luscious pie filling, which is nothing more than chocolate pudding. (So consider this a chocolate pudding recipe, too!) Start by putting sugar into a saucepan…
Add some cornstarch… used as a thickener.
Add a dash salt (about a fourth a teaspoon; and don’t be thrown off by the 1/2 teaspoon measure you see here, as I only added half. Don’t be like me)… Stir it together gently—I say gently, because if you stir it violently or vigorously, you will create a cloud of cornstarch in your kitchen, And who needs that? Now, pour in some whole milk. Normally, I’d say “or you can use 2% or skim milk” but in this case, I absolutely, positively insist that you should use whole milk. It makes the pie creamier and gives it the texture it needs. You can always use the skim milk on your cereal tomorrow!
Now then … Separate four eggs… Pour in the yolks… Then stir it together and start heating it up over medium heat, stirring very gently but constantly. The bubbles will calm down and it will start to heat up and thicken. This will seem to take forever at first…
But then, before you know it, it starts to bubble/boil! Right after it starts to boil and thicken, you need to remove it from the heat.
Oh! I forgot to tell you that way earlier, I grabbed some bittersweet chocolate… And chopped it really finely. (Note on the chocolate: I have tried this pie with cocoa powder, with semi-sweet chocolate, with unsweetened chocolate…and I prefer bittersweet. You can play around with the different chocolates to see what you like.)
It’s important to have the chocolate all chopped and ready ahead of time, because the second you pull the filling/pudding off the heat, you’ll want to throw it right in…
With some vanilla…
And stir it around to start melting the chocolate, which will happen pretty much instantly because of how hot and lovely it is.
The final step, of course, is to add a little butter for silkiness, flavor, and richness… And stir it until it melts. Again, this should only take about 4.5 seconds.
Now pour it gently into the baked (and cooled!) pie shell…
Then smooth it out, lick whatever you use to smooth it, and pop the pie in the fridge (uncovered) for at least 3-4 hours. You want it to be totally cool and set.
This filling amount is enough for a deep-dish pie crust, so when I use a standard crust, I always have a little filling left over. So I just scoop it into little cups…
And stick those in the fridge. These are great snacks later.
Enjoy!
So here is the actual recipe:
Chocolate Pie: Prep Time: 4 Hours, Difficulty: Easy, Cook Time: 10 Minutes, 10 Servings.
Ingredients
• 1 whole Pie Crust, Baked And Cooled (or Can Use Oreo Or Graham Cracker Crust)
• 1-1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3 cups Whole Milk
• 4 whole Egg Yolks
• 6-1/2 ounces, weight Bittersweet Chocolate, Chopped Finely
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• Whipped Cream, For Serving
Instructions
Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Stir or whisk together.
Pour in milk and egg yolks, and whisk together.
Stir over medium heat until the mixture just barely comes to a boil and becomes thick, about 6-8 minutes (maybe less, maybe more; just watch it) The second it starts to bubble and thicken (note: It should be thick like pudding!) remove it from the heat. Add the chocolate, vanilla, and butter, and stir until everything is beautifully combined.
Pour the pudding into the pie crust (if there is extra, spoon it into small dishes) and place in the fridge to chill for 4 hours uncovered.
Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream.
Enjoy - Bird
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