I’ve saved the most decadent recipe for last in our “Pi” day celebration series. Why have just one flavor of chocolate cream when you can have Triple Chocolate Cream Pie? And those candied cocoa nibs, yummmm!
Admittedly, this recipe is a bit more involved than our last two pi-day pie recipes. But the preparation really goes fast once you get started, and a slice of this pie is just so pretty with all the layers.
The candied cocoa nibs and the pie shell can be made ahead of time. The prebaked shell can be frozen for several weeks and the candied nibs can be stored in an airtight container for several days (if they last that long).
Candied cocoa nibs held together by caramelized sugar. Chocolate lace!
The cocoa nibs are optional. In their place you can decorate the pie with chocolate curls or chocolate sprinkles. But I will tell you that the candied cocoa nibs are a-maz-ing! I intended to use the same recipe as for my candied macadamia nuts, but I only had 1/3 of a cup of cocoa nibs. Good thing, because I didn’t realize the nibs would absorb so much of the sugar syrup. The result is a crunchy, chocolate-y treat with a nutty flavor that is unlike anything else. I’m so happy with how the nibs turned out. Absolutely addictive! I’ll definitely be making those again. Cocoa nibs may be found at specialty cooking stores or on-line.
Once all the prep is done the recipe comes together fairly quickly. Rather than making three separate cream fillings, you only need to mix one batch of pastry cream and divide it into three portions to be flavored with each type of chocolate. Of course you could just flavor the entire batch of pastry cream with dark chocolate if you really want to keep it simple.
Topped with a mound of sweetened whipped cream and those addictive, crunchy candied-cocoa-nibs, this Triple Chocolate Cream Pie is the stuff of a chocoholic’s dreams.
Happy Pi(e) day!!
Yields 9
1 hrPrep Time
15 minCook Time
1 hr, 15 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/3 cup cocoa nibs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- Seeds from 1" piece of vanilla bean
- 2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs (20 cookies)
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 oz unsalted butter, melted
- 16 oz (2 cups) whole milk
- 6 oz (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 yolks
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) corn starch
- 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons, 2 ounces) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
- 4 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate, separated into 2 equal portions
- 2 oz chopped milk chocolate (or 1 oz each white and dark)
- 2 oz chopped white chocolate
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
- 2 teaspoons dark rum or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F convection or 350°F regular
- Combine the sugar, water and vanilla bean in a small saucepan.
- Bring the sugar syrup to a boil
- Add the nibs all at once and return to a boil
- Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes
- Remove from the heat and let steep for 10 minutes
- Using a slotted spoon to drain excess syrup, scoop the nibs onto a parchment lined baking sheet
- Bake until bubbly and deeply caramelized, about 20 minutes (see notes)
- Cool completely, break into bits and store in an air-tight container
- Run the Oreo cookies in a food processor or blender to make the crumbs.
- Toss the flour with the cookie crumbs
- Toss the butter with the cookie crumbs to form a loose dough
- Line a 9" pie plate with the cookie crumbs, pressing the dough to form a crust.
- Refrigerate until firm
- Bake the crust at 325°F convection or 350°F regular for 10 minutes
- While the crust is still warm, sprinkle 2 oz of the bittersweet choc into the bottom of the shell
- Allow the chocolate to melt and then spread it across the bottom and sides of the pie shell
- Cool until the chocolate is set, move the crust to the freezer while you prep the filling
- Put the remaining dark, the milk and the white chocolate into three separate mixing bowls
- Combine milk with half of the sugar, salt, and vanilla.
- Heat over medium high until scalding hot.
- While the milk heats up, whisk together the eggs, yolks, remaining sugar and corn starch.
- When the milk is scalding hot, whisk it into the egg mixture
- Return the mixture to the pot and cook over medium low, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken and just begins to bubble.
- Remove from the heat immediately and strain back into the bowl used for the eggs
- Add the butter and optional rum to the hot custard and whisk to melt the butter
- Scoop 1 cup of the warm cream into each of the 3 bowls of chocolate
- If there's any remaining cream divide it among the three bowls
- Gently stir the dark chocolate cream until the chocolate is all melted
- Scoop the dark chocolate cream into the chilled pie shell and smooth to an even layer
- Place in the freezer for 10 minutes
- Meanwhile, stir the milk chocolate cream to melt the chocolate.
- Remove the pie from the freezer and spread the milk chocolate cream into the shell, being careful not the mix it into the dark cream
- Repeat cooling and then add the white chocolate cream to the top
- Refrigerate the assembled pie for at least 3 hours or until thoroughly chilled and set
- Whip the cream with the confectioner's sugar and rum (or vanilla)
- Spread the cream onto the chilled filling
- Sprinkle with the optional candied cocoa nibs or with chocolate curls or sprinkles.
Notes
Use the best quality chocolate you can buy. In my professional kitchen I use Callebaut but it tends to come in large packages. I also like Ghiardelli 72% and Ghiardelli white . You can substitute the milk chocolate with 1/2 dark and 1/2 white chocolate. br]
Cocoa nibs may be found at specialty cooking stores or [on-line . If the baked nibs are soft and sticky after they've cooled, return them to the oven to caramelize a little more. They should be crunchy once they've cooled.
Comments