Chocolate Cream Pie

This recipe is based off an America's Test Kitchen Recipe. It is pretty fabulous. I won't be making it very often because it calls for 6 yolks. What do I do with the rest of the egg? Do you have any recipes for egg whites? 

As you see below, I didn't have the Oreos, so I used brownies. I am sorry that I can't give you measurements. 

Chocolate Cream Pie

Crust

16 Oreos

2 T melted butter

Chocolate Filling

2-1/2 cup half and half

Pinch salt

1/3 cup sugar

2 T cornstarch

6 egg yolks

6 T butter

6 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped

1 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped

1 tsp vanilla

Whipped Cream Topping

1-1/2 chilled heavy whipping cream

1-1/2 T sugar 

1/2 tsp vanilla

For the crust: I didn't have Oreos so I mixed some brownie crumbs and graham crackers together and called that my crust. I didn't measure and I have no idea if it would work out again. It was a boxed brownie mix that I had made and we hadn't eaten so I threw it in the freezer for later. 

If you make the Oreo crust, mix the butter and crumbs together, press in a dish, bake about ten minutes at 350 degrees. 

For the filling: this is the most important part of the pie. As long as this part tastes good, the other two parts can be sub-par. 

1. Mix the half  and half, salt, and 3 T of sugar together over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. 

2. Stir together remaining sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. 

3.  Whisk eggs in another bowl until they are slightly thickened. I mixed them about 1 minute. Add cornstarch mixture and whisk until glossy. 

4. Drizzle 1/2 cup of half and half mixture into the eggs. Whisk constantly. Add another 1/2 cup of hot half and half mixture.  Whisk. Return entire egg/cornstarch mixture to hot half and half mixture in the pan. Whisk until 3-4 bubbles burst on the top and mixture is thickened and glossy. 

5. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, chocolate, and vanilla. The directions say to press through a fine mesh strainer, but I didn't bother because I hate washing my strainer. 

6.  Pour into your pie crust. Refrigerate at least three hours. 

For the topping: beat cream and sugar in bowl until stiff peaks. Add vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Spread mixture over the top of the pie. 

Thanks to this recipe, I started craving something chocolate (not a pregnancy craving, I don't have those, just a wow, chocolate sounds good). This, in my own right now is a chocolate zucchini bread. I made it extra healthy by adding applesauce instead of oil. :) It is for dessert tonight. If it is any good, who knows how it will turn out because I smashed three recipes together, I will post pictures and a recipe later. 

Also, I have calzone dough rising on my counter. Yay!! 

I rearrange Martin's room today and cleaned his closet. Once Jared finishes the shelves in his closet, the boys' room should be ready to go. I will post pictures of the room and the awesome crib I bought for $40 (retails for $190 at Ikea). It is the model better than the crib I wanted. I love it because it is shorter than most cribs and doesn't make the room look as small. We had planned to bump Martin to a mattress on the floor, but when you can buy a crib and mattress for  the price of less than a mattress, we changed our minds and did some puzzle piece fitting in their room. 

Also, Ikea mattresses come with a removable cover!! It zips off from around the mattress padding and you can wash the home cover. It is pretty awesome. Ps. I am still waiting for my Ikea 2015 catalog. Grr. I have seen that many other people have received theirs in the last few weeks. I hope mine comes soon. 

I have downsized the family to one dirty cloth hamper (it will take a few more steps when the boys have dirty clothes, but the extra floor space is worth it). We only have one clean clothes hamper too. It means we have to out away the laundry instead of letting it sit around. Sometimes that trick doesn't work and a giant pile of laundry sits at the end of my bed for a few days, but mostly it does force me to put away clothes. Every little bit helps.