8ozsemi-sweet bakers chocolate not chocolate chips
2tspvanilla extract
1cupheavy cream 33%
2tbspconfectioners' sugar
½cupunsalted butter
Whipped Topping
1cupheavy cream33%
2tspinstant vanilla pudding mix dry
¼cupmilk chocolate coarsely chopped
Instructions
Bake pie crust according to directions on the package. Be sure to use a fork to prick holes on the bottom and sides of the frozen pie crust to avoid air pocket bubbles when baking. Set aside.
In a saucepan, stir together sugar and eggs over medium-high heat. Stir constantly so eggs don’t start to bake & whiten. Cook until the temperature of 160F is reached. Pour heated mixture into a large bowl so eggs don’t continue baking in the pan.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave. Heat on 30-second intervals stirring well after each 30 seconds until chocolate is melted. Don’t overheat – you want this melted but not too hot.
Stir chocolate mixture into egg mixture and stir to mix. Add vanilla and stir to mix.
Beat heavy cream and powdered sugar together until soft peaks form. Set aside for now.
In a large bowl, beat butter until light & fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add chocolate mixture and beat on high speed for 5 minutes. Beat in prepared whipped cream just until combined (don’t over mix).
Pour mixture into prepared pie crust and refrigerate at least 6 hours (or overnight – overnight is best for it to hold its shape when cutting).
Before you serve pie, prepare the topping by beating together heavy cream and pudding mix until soft peaks form. Scoop whipped topping over top of the chilled pie and sprinkle with coarsely chopped chocolate.
Notes
Always be careful when melting chocolate. Mix well in regular intervals and don’t burn it. For this recipe especially, the chocolate should be smooth and melted, but not too hot.When adding the chocolate to the butter, and subsequently adding in the whipped cream, make sure the chocolate has sufficiently cooled down first. If it’s warm, it will affect the filling and won’t turn out.If the filling ever seems to be loose or runny while mixing, stop and put the bowl in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Keeping the mixture cool will help achieve the correct texture.For greater control in both melting the chocolate and cooking the eggs, use a double boiler or bain-marie.Make beautiful chocolate curls for garnish with a chocolate bar and a peeler.