The Classic Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe and a Love Story
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12 to 16
 
This is the absolute perfect chocolate pie. It's creamy, chocolate-y with a little crunch form the nuts in the crust and a hint of cinnamon. My additions to Lola's amazing chocolate pie are the toasted nuts and cinnamon in the graham cracker crust. ***This recipe makes TWO large pies***
Ingredients
  • For Crust-
  • 9 oz whole graham crackers
  • ½ cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) real butter, melted
  • For Filling-
  • 3 large (5 oz) boxes Jello HEAT AND SERVE Chocolate Pudding
  • (not chocolate fudge and NOT sugar free and NOT instant)
  • 9 cups whole milk
  • 1 stick of real butter, cut into cubes
  • 6 ounces Hershey's MILK Chocolate bars (not chocolate chips, they
  • have too much wax and stabilizers), broken into pieces.
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • For Topping-
  • 2 cups (16 oz) heavy whipping cream
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Break the graham crackers into small pieces and place them in a food processor and process until they are large crumbs but, still have a texture. Do not over process into powder. Work with smaller batches to keep the size of the crumbs even. Pour into a bowl.
  2. Chop the pecans until finely chopped (I buy them chopped and then chop them a little more). Place crumbs in a dry frying pan over medium high heat and toast lightly until you can smell the aroma.
  3. Add the pecans, sugar, cinnamon and salt to the graham cracker crumbs and stir until well combined. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir well so that all of the crumbs are coated with butter.
  4. Divide the crumb mixture in half and scoop into two 10 inch pie pans. Using the bottom of the measuring cup, press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
  5. Place the pie crusts in the refrigerator to set while making the chocolate filling.
  6. Pour pudding mix into a large sauce pan, and slowly add the milk while whisking. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Stir constantly and cook over medium heat until the pudding comes to a full boil. If the heat is too high, the pudding will scorch. Keep stirring or the pudding will scorch and stick to the bottom of the pan. You may inch up the heat a little if necessary.
  7. Remove the pan from the hot burner the minute it comes to a boil.
  8. Quickly add the cubed butter and stir until melted. Then, add the chocolate pieces and stir into the pudding until melted and well combined. Add the pinch of salt and stir.
  9. Pour the pudding into the pie crusts. Cover each of the pies with a piece of plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap touches the surface of the hot pudding and completely covers it so it will not get a "skin" on top.
  10. Return the pies to the refrigerator until chilled.
  11. Whip the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and the vanilla and whip to stiff peaks.
  12. Remove the plastic from the surface of the pies. Divide the whipped cream over the pies and smooth all the way to the edges of the pie crust. The pudding that is not covered by cream will turn dark.
  13. Refrigerate again to set the whipped cream.
Recipe by Everyday Southwest at https://www.everydaysouthwest.com/classic-chocolate-cream-pie-recipe/