Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding Pie With Creme Fraiche Topping Recipes

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE PUDDING PIE WITH CRèME FRAîCHE TOPPING

Steps:

• Crust:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Blend cookie crumbs and sugar in 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, pressing gently with back of fork if crust puffs, about 12 minutes. 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-bottom wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, stir mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping bottom and sides of pan until pudding thickens and begins 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; chill overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.
• Topping:
• Using electric mixer, beat crème fraîche, whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl just until stiff peaks form and mixture is thick enough to spread (do not overbeat or mixture may curdle). Spread topping decoratively over top of pie, swirling to create peaks, if desired. DO AHEAD: Pie can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.
• Sprinkle chocolate shavings decoratively atop pie, if desired. Cut pie into wedges and serve.
• * Sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SILK PIE

Steps:

• In medium bowl, combine flour and salt.
• Using medium side of box grater (side used to shred carrots), grate cold butter into flour, tossing frequently.
• Cut shortening into chunks.
• Using a pastry blender, cut shortening into flour until pea-sized clumps form.
• Using fork to toss flour, stir in ice water until dough just starts to form.
• Press dough into smooth, flat disc.
• Wrap disc in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• On lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 13-inch circle.
• Transfer dough to 9-inch pie plate.
• Trim overhanging dough to 1 inch; roll and crimp overhang to make decorative edge.
• Refrigerate pie shell for 30 minutes.
• Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°.
• Prick chilled pie shell all over with fork.
• Line pie shell with foil; place pie weight or dry beans or rice in shell.
• Bake for 20 minutes; remove foil and weights and bake for 10-15 minutes more, until pie shell is golden.
• Let pie shell cool for 15 minutes before filling with chocolate mixture.
• In small saucepan, heat cream and sugar together over medium high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Bring mixture to a boil.
• Turn off heat; stir in chocolate until melted and smooth.
• Stir in butter until melted and smooth.
• Scrape chocolate mixture into 4 1/2-quart bowl of heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
• Let chocolate mixture stand until just warm, about 20 minutes.
• Beat chocolate mixture at medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until bottom of bowl is no longer warm.
• With mixer running at medium speed, begin pouring egg beaters down side of bowl in slow, steady stream. This will take 2 minutes.
• Continue to beat for a few more minutes, until mixture just begins to thicken around the outside edge of bowl and becomes paler in color.
• Pour mixture into prepared pie shell and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours.
• Just before serving pie, beat heavy cream with sugar until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes, in heavy-duty mixer and 5 minutes with hand-held mixer.
• Mound whipped cream onto chilled pie.
• Garnish with chocolate curls.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE PUDDING PIE WITH CREME FRAICHE TOPPING

Steps:

• Crust:.
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F Blend cookie crumbs and sugar in 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, pressing gently with back of fork if crust puffs, about 12 minutes. 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-bottom wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, stir mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping bottom and sides of pan until pudding thickens and begins 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; chill overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.
• Topping:.
• Using electric mixer, beat crème fraîche, whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl just until stiff peaks form and mixture is thick enough to spread (do not overbeat or mixture may curdle). Spread topping decoratively over top of pie, swirling to create peaks, if desired. DO AHEAD: Pie can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.
• Sprinkle chocolate shavings decoratively atop pie, if desired. Cut pie into wedges and serve.
• * Sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.