Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cream Pie

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

FOR THE PASTRY:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
scant 1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 1/2 tbsp solid white vegetable shortening
FOR THE FILLING AND GARNISHES:
1 large egg, plus 4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
3 cups whole milk, divided
2 tbs unsweetened, non-alkalized,
American-style cocoa powder (such as Hershey's)
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
3 oz bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
TO SERVE:
1 1/2 to 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream, lightly sweetened and whipped (for garnish)
grated chocolate, chocolate shavings, or curls (for garnish)

TO PREPARE PASTRY SHELL:
Set out a 9-inch pie plate.

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine flour and salt. Process a few seconds to blend. Sprinkle butter and shortening over flour. Process in on/off pulses until fat is cut into flour and mixture resembles coarse meal. Processing in on/off pulses, add 1 tbsp cold water through feed tube, processing only until evenly incorporated and particles begin to hold together. If mixture is crumbly, sprinkle over a little more water, a teaspoon or two at a time, and continue processing in on/off pulses until mixture holds together and is smooth; be careful not to over-process.

Alternatively; in a medium bowl, using a pastry blender, forks, or your fingertips, cut butter and shortening into flour and salt, until mixture is consistency of coarse meal. Add 1 tbsp water to flour mixture, blending with a fork just until particles hold together. If necessary, add a little more water, 1 tsp at a time, to moisten pastry enough to hold together.

Gather pastry into a ball. Working between two sheets of wax paper, roll pastry into a 12-inch round of even thickness, checking underside of dough frequently and smoothing out any wrinkles that form. Peel off one sheet of paper. Lay pastry, dough-side down, loosely in pie plate. With top sheet of wax paper still in place, refrigerate dough for 25-30 minutes.

Let dough soften at room temperature for a few minutes. Peel off and discard paper. Smooth dough firmly into bottom and sides of pie plate, patching any tears. Trim overlapping dough to 1 inch. Press and crimp to form decorative edge, keeping edge evenly thick. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Neatly line pastry with heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrapping excess foil over pan edges so pastry is completely covered. Return to refrigerator to chill for at least 20 minutes and up to 8 hours, if desired.

Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F/200C.

Bake foil-covered shell for 15 minutes. Carefully remove foil and continue baking until tinged with brown, 6-10 minutes longer. Transfer pie plate to wire rack and let stand until completely cooled. Use immediately or store, wrapped airtight, for up to 24 hours (or freeze for up to a week).

TO PREPARE FILLING:
In a small, deep bowl, beat together egg and egg yolks, cream, and half of the sugar with a whisk or fork, until well blended; set aside.

In a 4-quart or larger heavy, non-aluminum saucepan, bring 2 cups milk just to a boil on high heat. Remove from heat.

In a small, deep bowl, stir together remaining half of sugar, cocoa powder, flour, cornstarch, and salt, until well blended and smooth. Gradually stir or whisk remaining 1 cup cold milk into cocoa mixture, until mixture is completely smooth. Briskly stir cocoa mixture into hot milk until blended. Return mixture to burner over medium heat and cook, whisking vigorously and scraping pan bottom, until mixture comes to a boil, about 2-3 minutes.

Boil mixture, stirring vigorously, for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stirring 30 seconds longer. Whisking, add about a third of cocoa mixture to reserved egg mixture, until well blended. Whisk egg mixture back into saucepan. Return to burner over medium heat, stirring vigorously. Cook until mixture returns to boiling and boil for 1 minute. Immediately remove from heat and stir in chocolate, butter, and vanilla, until completely melted and smooth. Strain filling through a fine sieve into a non-aluminum storage bowl. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on surface of filling. Refrigerate filling for 20-30 minutes, until it cools and thickens just slightly.

Stir well, then spoon into pie shell. Cover and refrigerate pie for at least 4 hours, and preferably longer, until set. Ungarnished pie will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 3 or 4 days.

TO SERVE:
Just before serving, pipe, swirl, or spread whipped cream over entire surface of pie (or over each slice). Garnish generously with chocolate curls or shavings or grated chocolate, if desired.

Makes 1 pie
Source: The International Chocolate Cookbook by Nancy Baggett and Martin Jacobs