Chocolate Peppermint Pie

Since starting this blog, I've created a new motto: never show up empty handed. Even with my own family, never show up empty handed. So when I arrived a few days before Christmas, I had in hand a chocolate pudding pie.

I tried to make a pudding pie once a couple years ago and my downfall was certainly not allowing enough time for it to set. This time, the pie had an overnight stay in the fridge to set. Chocolate graham crackers were pulverized and mixed with butter to make the crust. I used a springform pan for this but you could also use a pie pan if you don't have one.

The pudding mixture is made in a saucepan by combining whole milk, corn starch, sugar, butter and two kinds of chocolate. The mixture will thicken as it cools at which point you can spread it out in the crust. For me, I stopped here and saved the topping for just before serving.

Heavy whipping cream is aptly named. If you take a hand mixer to it, it thickens up into a tasty whipped topping and if you keep going, I believe you will get some fresh butter. This whipped topping had some sugar and peppermint extract added to it. Once it was thick enough and stiff, I added it to the spring form pan pie and spread it out nice and evenly. Topped with crushed candy canes and red sprinkles, it was quite festive.

I let the pie set while we ate dinner and the spring rim came off perfectly. The first slice of pie was hard to get out as you have to cut through the cookie crust. But after that initial piece, it's easy as--well, pie.

This could be adapted to be a real New Year's pie (as opposed to the one I tried to make once upon a time). I like peppermint for the holidays but not too much as some people aren't a fan. This offers a nice hint of mint and chocolate together in a heavenly combination.

 

 Recipe

Crust

• 9 ounces of chocolate graham crackers (2 packages)
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar

Filling

• 2 cups of whole milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 ounces mint flavored chocolate (such as Andes)
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Topping

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar
• 1 Tablespoon peppermint extract

1. In a food processor, pulse the chocolate graham crackers until you have fine crumbs. Add the sugar and pulse once or twice more.
2. Add the melted butter to the graham cracker crumbs. Press the mixture into a spring-form pan or pie pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
3. Bake the crust in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.
4. While the crust is baking, heat the milk in a medium sauce pan until it comes to a simmer. 
5. Remove the milk from heat and whisk in the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt.
6. Return the sauce pan to heat and bring to a rolling boil, whisking constantly.
7. Once the mixture boils, whisk in the semi-sweet and mint chocolate. You can return the pan to a low heat if the chocolate isn't mixing well.
8. Allow the  mixture to thicken away from heat before pouring into the prepared crust.
9. Place the pan with crust and filling in the fridge for at least an hour but until set. I recommend leaving it overnight
10. About 30-40 minutes before serving, whisk the heavy cream, peppermint and sugar together with a hand mixer. Mix until the cream thickens and becomes like whipped cream.
11. Spread the whipped topping over the set chocolate pudding pie. You can top this with sprinkles or crushed candy canes.
12. Allow the pie to set with the whipped topping for half an hour before removing the spring form rim (if using a spring form pan).