Reduced-Fat Chocolate Cream Pie
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 25, 2012
Time
1 hour, plus 3½ hours cooling
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
CRUST
8 whole chocolate graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces3 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled1 ounce (28 grams) neufchatel cheese, softenedPUDDING
½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa ⅛ teaspoon salt 2 ½ cups whole milk 1 large egg, lightly beaten4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine2 teaspoons vanilla extractWHIPPED TOPPING
½ cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extractBefore You Begin
For a firmer pie that is easier to slice, let it set up overnight.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-inch pie plate with vegetable oil spray. Process graham crackers and sugar in food processor to fine crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add butter and neufchatel and pulse until combined, about 8 pulses. Press crumbs into bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate. Bake until top edge is slightly lighter in color and crust is set, about 15 minutes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt in bowl. Beat milk and egg together in medium saucepan. Whisk sugar mixture into pan. Add chocolate and bring mixture to boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick and glossy, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in vanilla, and strain through fine-mesh strainer. Pour pudding into cooled crust. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cool, at least 3 hours.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Spread whipped topping evenly over pie. Serve.
for the crust
for the pudding
for the whipped topping
Time
1 hour, plus 3½ hours coolingYield
Serves 8Ingredients
CRUST
8 whole chocolate graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 ounce (28 grams) neufchatel cheese, softened
PUDDING
½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
WHIPPED TOPPING
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
CRUST
8 whole chocolate graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 ounce (28 grams) neufchatel cheese, softened
PUDDING
½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
WHIPPED TOPPING
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
CRUST
8 whole chocolate graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 ounce (28 grams) neufchatel cheese, softened
PUDDING
½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
WHIPPED TOPPING
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Using chocolate graham crackers in place of Oreo cookies for our pie crust gives us great chocolate flavor for significantly fewer calories. The test kitchen’s reduced-fat chocolate pudding recipe needed to be thickened with a few extra ounces of chocolate to turn it into a sliceable pie.
Before You Begin
For a firmer pie that is easier to slice, let it set up overnight.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-inch pie plate with vegetable oil spray. Process graham crackers and sugar in food processor to fine crumbs, about 10 seconds. Add butter and neufchatel and pulse until combined, about 8 pulses. Press crumbs into bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate. Bake until top edge is slightly lighter in color and crust is set, about 15 minutes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt in bowl. Beat milk and egg together in medium saucepan. Whisk sugar mixture into pan. Add chocolate and bring mixture to boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture becomes thick and glossy, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in vanilla, and strain through fine-mesh strainer. Pour pudding into cooled crust. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cool, at least 3 hours.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Spread whipped topping evenly over pie. Serve.
for the crust
for the pudding
for the whipped topping
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