Chocolate Pie (Chocolate Cream Pie)

Directions

For Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Add the butter. Rub and pinch butter into the flour using your fingers to coat butter pieces and form small pea-sized balls.
4. Create a well in the center of the mixture and add water. Mix together with your hands.
5. Pull away walnut-size pieces of dough and smear them using the heel of your hand. This technique is called fraisage, and it helps produce flaky layers.
6. Form flattened pieces into a ball and then slightly flatten it to form a disk. Wrap disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
7. Remove plastic wrap from the dough and place it on a floured surface. Roll floured rolling pin from the center of dough disk to the edge, rotating the dough until the circle is an ⅛ inch thick and 12 inches in diameter.
8. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and lift the pin over the edge of a 9-inch glass pie pan. Gently unroll the dough over the pan. Lightly press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan.
9. Crimp the edge of crust by placing two fingers on the crust’s outside rim while placing one finger on the inside and pressing outward to form a V.
10. Cover the pie dough with parchment or foil, making sure to cover the bottom and sides.
11. Fill pan with pie weights (dried beans or dry rice work well too).
12. Bake the pie crust with the weights for 15 minutes.
13. Remove the crust from the oven. Remove the weights and parchment or foil.
14. Prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork to prevent bubbling and return it to the oven.
15. Bake for an additional 15–20 minutes or until golden-brown and cooked through.

For Filling:

16. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan.
17. Add the egg yolks, milk, and heavy cream.
18. Whisk the ingredients together over medium-high heat for several minutes until the mixture begins to thicken to a pudding-like consistency.
19. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.
20. Remove the mixture from heat and immediately add chocolate, butter, and vanilla.
21. Whisk the mixture until it is melted and smooth.
22. Pour the filling through a sieve into a medium-sized heatproof bowl.
23. Let the filling cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
24. Pour the filling into the pie pan and cover it with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap is pressed against the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming.
25. Chill the pie in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, until firm and set.

For Whipped Cream:

26. Chill a medium-sized bowl in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
27. Combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the chilled bowl.
28. Beat the ingredients using an electric mixer on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high, until stiff peaks form. Don’t over-beat, but don’t stop beating until it reaches the consistency of Cool Whip.
29. Top the pie with the whipped cream, cut it, and serve.