When it comes to pies, we are big fans of the chocolate cream variety. Flaky piecrust filled with chilled chocolate pudding and topped with whipped cream? It doesn’t get much better than that. This Chocolate Chicory Cream Pie starts with an easy homemade piecrust and is finished with coffee-infused chocolate custard and fluffy whipped cream. The ultimate make-ahead dessert, this pie sets up in just a few hours in the fridge and is a chocolate and coffee lover’s dream come true!
Chocolate Chicory Cream Pie
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Ingredients
- Piecrust (recipe follows)
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup boiling water
- ¼ cup ground coffee and chicory*
- 1½ cups half-and-half
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
- Garnish: chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll Piecrust to a 13-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides. Fold edges under, and crimp, if desired. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Top prepared crust with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges of plate. Add pie weights.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights, and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Let cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until thickened and pale yellow. Whisk in 1 cup cream, cornstarch, and cocoa until smooth. Set aside.
- Using a French press, combine ½ cup boiling water and coffee; let stand for 5 minutes. Press, and pour coffee into a medium saucepan. Add half-and-half and granulated sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is just steaming.
- Slowly pour one-third of coffee mixture into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour egg yolk mixture into remaining coffee mixture in saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. (Do not boil.) Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing mixture through. Pour custard into prepared crust. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until custard is firm, about 8 hours or overnight.
- In a medium bowl, beat remaining 1 cup cream with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add confectioners’ sugar and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla. Beat just until stiff peaks form. (Do not overbeat.) Spread on top of pie. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.
Notes
*We used French Market Medium-Dark Roast Ground Coffee & Chicory.
KITCHEN TIP
If you don’t have a French press, carefully combine coffee and boiling water in a glass measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes and then strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
KITCHEN TIP
If you don’t have a French press, carefully combine coffee and boiling water in a glass measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes and then strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Piecrust
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie crust
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup all-vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut in shortening and cold butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water, 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring with a fork until dough comes together. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 3 to 4 times to form a smooth ball. Press dough into a ¾-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
