Classic Diner Style Chocolate Pie Recipes

THREE-FLAVOR DINER PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Set aside 6 of the chocolate wafer cookies, then put the remaining cookies in a food processor with the sugar. Pulse until finely ground with a sandy texture. Add the butter and blend until combined. Press into a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish. Bake, rotating the pie plate halfway through the baking time, until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool while you make the pudding.
• For the pudding: Put the white chocolate chips in a small bowl and the peanut butter in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Heat 3 1/2 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup cold milk. Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture until smooth, then gradually whisk the egg and milk mixture into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened to a pudding-like consistency, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat, then transfer 3/4 cup of the pudding to the bowl with the white chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups to the bowl with the peanut butter. Add the miniature chocolate chips to the saucepan with the remaining pudding. Whisk the puddings separately until melted and smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes while you prepare the cookie walls.
• Cut the half banana in half. Unpeel one of the pieces and cut into 6 slices. Stack 2 slices in the center of the cookie crust. Halve the remaining slices and arrange 5 pieces around the stacked pieces cut-sides in like a flower. Arrange the 3 remaining pieces on top of the banana petals.
• Carefully cut the remaining 6 chocolate wafer cookies in half. Dip 4 of the cookie halves almost all the way into the white chocolate pudding (leave just enough of each cookie exposed so you have a spot to hold onto), then arrange the cookies in a square around the bananas rounded-side up. The cookies should touch each other (the pudding will work as glue); if you need to, rearrange the bananas slightly to accommodate the cookies. Dip the remaining 8 cookie halves in the chocolate pudding. Leaving a 1-inch border around the first cookie wall, arrange the cookies rounded-side up in a circle around it, overlapping the cookies ever so slightly so they stand up straight.
• Spoon half of the white chocolate pudding into the center of the pie on top of the bananas, spoon half of the peanut butter pudding into the second section of the pie and then spoon half of the chocolate pudding into the outermost section of the pie. If any cookie walls fall over during this process, simply stand the cookies back up and keep filling the pie. (Once all the pudding is in the pie, the cookie walls will stand on their own and help keep the flavors separate.) Use the back of a small spoon or an offset spatula to smooth out the pudding in the pie, then top each section with the other half of the corresponding pudding. The pudding might go slightly above the cookie walls; just smooth it, being careful to keep the different flavors separate. Alternatively, you can transfer the pudding to 3 piping bags or large resealable plastic storage bags and pipe into the pie. Put plastic wrap directly over the pie, pressing on the top slightly so the pie is mostly flat, and refrigerate until fully set, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• For the toppings: Before serving, unwrap the pie and spoon the whipped topping over the center of the pie, leaving the chocolate pudding showing as a border. Peel and thinly slice the remaining banana piece and decorate the center of the pie with the slices. Create a ring of chopped peanuts around the banana slices, roughly over the peanut butter pudding layer. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the chocolate pudding layer. Slice into 8 pieces and serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers and sugar until crumbs form. Pour in the butter and continue to pulse until the crumbs are coated. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.
• For the filling: In a small saucepan, heat the milk until hot but not simmering. To a medium saucepan, add the sugar, flour and cocoa and whisk together well. Lightly beat the egg yolks (saving the whites for the meringue) and pour into the flour mixture. Slowly add the hot milk, stirring. This will create a paste in the beginning, ensuring that the chocolate and flour blend smoothly. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until very thick, about 5 minutes. The mixture will start to bubble sporadically; continue to stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla and salt. Stir until the butter is completely incorporated.
• Pour the filling into the crust and chill in the refrigerator, about 45 minutes.
• For the meringue: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff. With the mixer running, gradually add the sugar and beat until the whites are smooth and glossy. Spread the meringue on the pie, reaching the edges of the crust to seal in the filling. Bake until brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

CLASSIC DINER-STYLE CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor and process until a fine powder is formed. You should have about 1 1/2 cups. Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl and stir in sugar. Add melted butter and mix until well combined; mixture should feel wet.
• Turn crust mixture out into a 9-inch round pie plate. Using the back of a large spoon, press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Transfer crust to freezer.
• Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, Ovaltine, salt, and cornstarch. Add egg yolks and whisk until combined; mixture will look like a thick paste. Slowly pour in milk and cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; let boil for 30 seconds and immediately remove from heat.
• Add chocolates, whiskey, and vanilla; whisk until well combined and mixture has cooled slightly. Let stand, at room temperature, for 15 minutes. If a thin skin forms on the filling while cooling, whisk until skin is gone. Remove pie crust from freezer and pour filling into the crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving. Serve with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream.

CLASSIC DINER-STYLE CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor and process until a fine powder is formed. You should have about 1 1/2 cups. Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl and stir in sugar. Add melted butter and mix until well combined; mixture should feel wet.
• Turn crust mixture out into a 9-inch round pie plate. Using the back of a large spoon, press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Transfer crust to freezer.
• Make the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, Ovaltine, salt, and cornstarch. Add egg yolks and whisk until combined; mixture will look like a thick paste. Slowly pour in milk and cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; let boil for 30 seconds and immediately remove from heat.
• Add chocolates, whiskey, and vanilla; whisk until well combined and mixture has cooled slightly. Let stand, at room temperature, for 15 minutes. If a thin skin forms on the filling while cooling, whisk until skin is gone. Remove pie crust from freezer and pour filling into the crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving. Serve with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the water, chocolate and butter to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in sugar and vanilla until smooth. Set aside. , In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. , Pour into pastry shell. Carefully pour reserved chocolate mixture over filling. Sprinkle with nuts if desired. Cover edges of pastry with foil. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.