![Overhead shot of chocolate cream pie with flaky crust chocolate pudding and mounds of whipped cream dusted with cocoa.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/assets.bonappetit.com/photos/5d9f6450e06e820009df32dc/1:1/w_2560%2Cc_limit/1119-Pies-chocolate-pudding2.jpg)
A dazzling chocolate pudding pie cloaked in voluminous whipped cream. The secret to that whipped cream’s great height: Setting it with dissolved gelatin means it won’t deflate or weep when chilled.
Recipe information
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Crust
2
2
2⅔
1½
Filling
½
3
2
2
2
2½
1
½
4
Assembly
1
2
2
2
1
Preparation
Crust
Step 1
Whisk sugar, salt, and 2⅔ cups flour in a large bowl. Add butter and, using your fingers, smash each piece into a thin disk. Take your time doing this and don’t feel compelled to break butter into even smaller pieces. Drizzle ⅔ cup ice water over, dispersing it as widely as possible, and mix with a rubber spatula to bring mixture together into a shaggy mass.
Step 2
Turn dough out onto a surface and work together with your hands, pushing and flattening until dough holds together when squeezed in your palm but some streaks of dry flour are still visible. Divide dough into 2 portions.
Step 3
Flatten 1 portion of dough into an 8"-diameter disk. Cut into quarters, stack pieces on top of one another, and flatten dough with a rolling pin to about half of its original height. At this point dough should hold together with no dry spots remaining, and have nice big flakes of butter showing. Use a bench scraper or a large knife to clean any clingy bits of dough from surface. Dust surface with flour, then dust top of dough with flour. Roll out to a ¼"–⅜"-thick round. Wrap dough around rolling pin and transfer to a standard 9"-diameter pie dish. Unfurl into dish, then lift edges and allow dough to slump down into dish. Trim overhang to an even 1" (there will be some excess). Fold overhang under and crimp as desired. Cover and chill until very cold, at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours (cover tightly if chilling longer than 1 hour). Repeat process with remaining dough and another pie dish. Or form into a 1½"-thick disk, wrap in plastic, and chill up to 3 days (or freeze up to 1 month).
Step 4
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 400°. Lay 2 sheets of parchment paper over dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans (they should fill the dish). Set on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (this will keep any butter drips from smoking up your oven). Bake until edges are golden brown and bottom is opaque (carefully lift parchment to check), 30–35 minutes. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 300°. Lift out parchment and weights. Bake crust until evenly chestnut brown all over, 10–15 minutes. If baking both crusts, turn oven dial back up to 400° and let oven preheat; repeat with remaining crust.
Filling
Step 5
Whisk sugar, cocoa powder, and cornstarch in a large saucepan to combine. Add eggs and egg yolks and whisk vigorously, making sure to get into corners of pan, until smooth. Whisk in milk, vanilla, and salt.
Step 6
Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often and making sure to get into corners of pan, 8–10 minutes (mixture should be bubbling and thickened). Reduce heat and continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let pudding cool 5 minutes, whisking several revolutions every minute to prevent any skin from forming.
Step 7
Add chocolate to pudding and whisk until melted and fully incorporated. Scrape filling into pie crust; smooth surface. Chill until cold and set, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Assembly
Step 8
Stir gelatin and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Let sit until solidified, about 5 minutes. Microwave in 5-second intervals until melted, or set in a bowl of very hot water and let sit until melted.
Step 9
Using an electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add melted gelatin and beat until medium peaks form. Spoon whipped cream over filling, swirling as desired. Chill until set, about 1 hour. Dust with cocoa powder if desired.
Do Ahead: Pie can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Leave a Review
Reviews (32)
Back to TopThe pudding turned out delicious and thickened perfectly. Would work great even as a standalone dessert. In fact, I was able to separate enough of the pudding in a separate small bowl for a gluten-free guest who wouldn't be able to eat the crust. The accompanying pie dough recipe is a little tricky for a novice like me (all butter crusts are a little less forgiving), but the texture turned out nice and flaky, if not the prettiest. No fear if the crust isn't pretty: the mounds of whipped cream dotted with cocoa powder are pretty eye catching, so no one will notice. Whipped cream = Airbrush makeup for desserts.
wannappetit
Miami
11/1/2019
I'm dying to make this - sounds like an excellent recipe! One thing to note - the ingredients quantities for the dough produce TWO crusts - so you could also use the recipe as is for a double-crust pie like cherry, or do as I plan to do, which is use only 1/2 as much as listed. (And don't forget: if using a glass pie plate, lower the oven temp by at least 25 degrees. Glass retains heat, so lower the temp to prevent burning.) The quantities for the pudding look right for one pie.
Indianapolis
11/11/2019
Love this!! Especially the whipped cream recipe!! I live at high altitude and keeping whipped cream whipped is a big challenge. THANK YOU for the gelatin secret!
Anonymous
Colorado
11/17/2019
If making ahead, would you hold off on the whipped cream until before serving? If not, how do you recommend covering this in the fridge?
Anonymous
11/20/2019
@anonymous asking about making this ahead: I’ll be making this ahead also, my plan is to prepare pie with whipped cream and store, make whipped cream and store separately, and combine before serving
Anonymous
Ithaca, NY
11/21/2019
1 tsp of kosher salt to 2 cups of whipped cream? That can't be right. We ended up scraping it all off and making traditional whipped cream. The chocolate was delicious though.
Anonymous
New York
11/23/2019
This is a very good pie. I made the dough and the lemon meringue all together. This one is a little salty for us, but I enjoyed more than others. Making this and the meringue again for thanksgiving. They pair very nicely.
Anonymous
NYC
11/25/2019