Christmas Dinner Dessert: chocolate pudding pie
27th December 2007
From January 2008 issue of Bon Appetit. Dessert of the year. The chocolate pudding is rich, as expected, but the mix of creme fraiche, cream, sugar, and vanilla in the topping is remarkable. I will definitely use this on many desserts in the future. The pie and pudding can be made up to 2 days ahead (the pudding needs to be refrigerated in the shell at least overnight anyway) and the topping can be put on up to 6 hours ahead of serving time. Recipe after the pictures.
Ingredients
Crust
4 1/2 ounces chocolate wafer cookies, finely ground in food processor (about 23 cookies)
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (60% cacao)
Filling
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt (fine texture, like table salt)
1 3/4 cups whole milk, divided
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (60% cacao)
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
1 cup chilled creme fraiche
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
bittersweet chocolate shavings (optional)
Process
Crust
- Place rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F.
- Blend cookie crumbs and sugar in food processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides (not rim) of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish.
- Bake until crust begins to set and no longer looks moist, about 12 minutes. Press gently with back of fork if crust puffs.
- Remove crust from oven, then sprinkle chopped chocolate over bottom of crust. Let stand until chocolate softens, 1 to 2 minutes. Using offset spatula or small rubber spatula, spread chocolate over bottom and up sides of crust to cover.
- Chill crust until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.
Filling
- Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt to blend in heavy medium saucepan.
- Gradually add 1/3 cup milk, whisking until smooth paste forms.
- Whisk in remaining milk, then 1/4 cup cream.
- Using flat-bottomed wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, stir mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping bottom and sides of pan until pudding thickens and beings to bubble at edges, about 5 minutes.
- Add chocolate; stir until mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat; stir in rum and vanilla.
- Pour hot pudding into crust and spread evenly. Cool 1 hour at room temperature.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
- DO AHEAD: can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.
Topping
- Using electric mixer, beat creme fraiche, whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl until just before stiff peaks form. Mixture should be thick enough to spread (do not overbeat or mixture may curdle).
- Spread topping decoratively over top of pie.
- DO AHEAD: Pie can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.
- Sprinkle chocolate shavings decoratively atop pie, if desired.