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Chocolate Cream Pie in a Jar

By Camila Chaparro

Published on August 27, 2020

Time

35 minutes, plus 1 hour cooling

Yield

Serves 12

Chocolate Cream Pie in a Jar

Ingredients

2 ½ cups half-and-half ⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) sugar, dividedPinch table salt 6 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons cornstarch 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped fine1 ounce (28 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine1 teaspoon vanilla extract 10 Oreo cookies, broken into coarse crumbs, divided2 cups whipped cream

Before You Begin

You can either use store-bought whipped cream or whip 1 cup of chilled heavy cream, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of table salt in a stand mixer on medium speed for 1 to 3 minutes, until soft peaks form. You will need twelve 4-ounce wide-mouth Mason jars for this recipe; for larger servings, use eight 6-ounce ramekins.

Instructions

  1.  Bring half-and-half, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk 1 cup warm half-and-half mixture into yolk mixture to temper, then slowly whisk tempered yolk mixture into remaining half-and-half mixture in saucepan.
  2.  Cook half-and-half mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and registers 180 degrees, about 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in butter, semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and vanilla until smooth. Strain pudding through fine-mesh strainer into clean bowl. Spray piece of parchment paper with vegetable oil spray and press directly against surface of pudding. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
  3.  Just before serving, add 1 tablespoon cookie crumbs to each of twelve 4-ounce wide-mouth Mason jars followed by approximately ½ cup pudding. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Serve.
Chocolate Cream Pie in a Jar

Chocolate Cream Pie in a Jar

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Time

35 minutes, plus 1 hour cooling

Yield

Serves 12

Ingredients

2 ½ cups half-and-half
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) sugar, divided
Pinch table salt
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped fine
1 ounce (28 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 Oreo cookies, broken into coarse crumbs, divided
2 cups whipped cream

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 ½ cups half-and-half
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) sugar, divided
Pinch table salt
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped fine
1 ounce (28 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 Oreo cookies, broken into coarse crumbs, divided
2 cups whipped cream

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 ½ cups half-and-half
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) sugar, divided
Pinch table salt
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped fine
1 ounce (28 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 Oreo cookies, broken into coarse crumbs, divided
2 cups whipped cream

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

While it can be hard to please everyone when it's time for dessert, we're betting that our chocolate cream pies in jars will get you pretty close. We made a rich chocolate pudding with lots of semisweet (and a little bit of unsweetened) chocolate for deep, but not bitter, chocolate flavor that would please both kids and adults alike. We layered our chocolate pudding over crumbled Oreos (for more chocolate flavor and an irresistible crunchy-creamy texture) and topped it with lightly sweetened whipped cream for mini desserts that tasted as good—and as chocolaty—as they looked. We'd call that having your pie and eating it, too.

Before You Begin

You can either use store-bought whipped cream or whip 1 cup of chilled heavy cream, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of table salt in a stand mixer on medium speed for 1 to 3 minutes, until soft peaks form. You will need twelve 4-ounce wide-mouth Mason jars for this recipe; for larger servings, use eight 6-ounce ramekins.

Instructions

  1.  Bring half-and-half, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk 1 cup warm half-and-half mixture into yolk mixture to temper, then slowly whisk tempered yolk mixture into remaining half-and-half mixture in saucepan.
  2.  Cook half-and-half mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and registers 180 degrees, about 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in butter, semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and vanilla until smooth. Strain pudding through fine-mesh strainer into clean bowl. Spray piece of parchment paper with vegetable oil spray and press directly against surface of pudding. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
  3.  Just before serving, add 1 tablespoon cookie crumbs to each of twelve 4-ounce wide-mouth Mason jars followed by approximately ½ cup pudding. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Serve.

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