Thursday, February 16, 2012

Chocolate cream pies

My kids had a chocolate attack the other day. This seldom happens in our house because none of us are overly fond of chocolate. Personally I don't dislike chocolate, I'll just never go out of my way to get any. The girls like chocolate a bit more than I do, and for some reason they just felt in a chocolate-y mood and begged me to make chocolate cream pie.

I used the recipe from my trusty Better Homes & Garden cookbook.


The recipe is for vanilla cream pie, but it gives variations...


...including chocolate cream.


I started with the pie dough. Doubled the recipe to make two pies. No sense doing all this work for just one pie, after all.


I had a bit of extra dough, so I made a miniature "cinnamon crust" -- just pie dough rolled thin, spread with butter/margarine, sprinkled heavily with cinnamon sugar, and baked.


While the pie crusts baked, I started on the filling. Here I'm adding milk to the sugar/flour mix.


Stir stir stir. This is the boring part so I had the kids do it.


Separating egg yolks from whites.


Once the mixture on the stove had thickened, I added a portion to the egg yolks...


...then returned the mix to the pot. It's now a custard.


Meanwhile the crusts were done, so I pulled them out to let them cool.


Adding vanilla and margarine to the custard.


And of course, cocoa powder.


Pouring the custard into the cooled pie crusts.


Into the oven to bake.


The results... yum! (Even for a non-chocolate-lover like me.)

14 comments:

  1. I'm on my way over to your house right now. yum!

    I'm curious Patrice, I need to replace some of my cookware, and I wonder if there are any recommendations you can give as to what you find works best for baking or regular cooking? There are so many choices and prices out there. I already own cast iron but that is a bit too heavy for me to lift on a daily basis. Anybody recommend what to try?
    THanks!

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    Replies
    1. Most of my cookware is a mishmash of items that come from thrift stores. I'm trying to transition to Pyrex glassware for pie pans and casserole dishes, so whenever I see those in a thrift store, I'll pick them up. I'm also collecting cast iron as I find it (and assuming it's affordable).

      - Patrice

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    2. Anon, look for stainless steel or high-quality aluminum pans with an extra-thick aluminum clad bottom (conducts heat well). Mine are not any special high-priced brand and they have lasted 10+ years.

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    3. Thank you tiarosa and patrice for the suggestions.

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    4. I would buy Stainless steel with the aluminum bottom for even heating. I wouldn't cook in aluminum any more. I'd be worried about leaching with acidy (like tomato foods)and stainless steel cleans like a dream.

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  2. Mmmmmmmm. Love chocolate pie. Love chocolate ANYTHING!

    Thanks for the reminder, I don't have anywhere near enough cocoa in my preps. It won't grow here (I looked). Vanilla, sugar and coffee will grow here - wish I knew how :(

    I think I posted previously about my vanilla bean failure last year. I think the start of some bloom spikes are appearing so I will try again this year. For those who missed my earlier comment, vanilla beans are the seed pods of one of the vanilla orchids.

    Terry
    Florida

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  3. We think the OLD Better Homes and Gardens recipe is better than the new one.
    1/3 c flour, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 cups milk, scalded, 2 sq unsweetened chocolate, 3 slightly beaten yolks, 2 TBSP butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 9" baked crust

    And I guarantee it's at its BEST when you use squares of chocolate instead of cocoa. MMmmmmmmmmmmm
    May have to go make one!

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  4. Ooh, now *I'm* having a chocolate attack! I have that cookbook, too, although it's a paperback and is falling apart--maybe I'll go make a chocolate pie or two, too! And ahhhh, my mom always did the same thing with the leftover crust, and I think that was my favorite thing of all. I don't make a lot of pies, so my kids have not experienced much of that treat, but I will be sure to have *extra* crust if I do make this treat!

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  5. Patrice, is it just the lighting in your kitchen or do some of your egg shells have a yellow tint? If they are yellow, you HAVE to tell me what breed of chicken laid them!

    -Pat

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    Replies
    1. Actually, the tint on the eggshells isn't yellow, it's blue/green (there are also brown eggs in that photo). The blue/green are eggs from an Aracauna chicken (sometimes called an Americauna). They're also known as Easter Egg chickens because they naturally lay blue/green eggs. Quite lovely!

      - Patrice

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  6. Using that same cookbook, a couple days ago my daughter (14) and I made chocolate pudding to satisfy our chocolate needs. Yum! I thought it was a funny coincidence, too.

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  7. Last week I went all prep food test. all home grown, home canned, or dehydrated to test my supplies. delish and tasty. its on my blogger page, gardenforyourlife.blogspot.com.

    Ken

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  8. Even better with a graham cracker shell!

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  9. Patrice, I have found that if you mix the cocoa with the sugar and cornstarch before you add the milk egg mixture and cook it all together it dissolves better.

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