Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish or springform pan.

Place the Oreo cookies (including filling) in a food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs, about 30–45 seconds. Alternatively, place cookies in a heavy-duty zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin.

Combine the cookie crumbs, melted butter, granulated sugar, and salt in a bowl. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed.

Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie dish, using the bottom of a measuring cup to compact the crust firmly and create a slightly raised rim.

Bake the crust for 8–10 minutes just to set and deepen the flavor. Remove from oven and let cool while preparing the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) if needed for other steps (oven not required further).

Place the chopped Valrhona dark chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. Heat over medium until just simmering (small bubbles at the edge), stirring occasionally. Do not boil.

While the milk heats, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar (0.75 cup), cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth and slightly pale, about 30 seconds.

Temper the yolks: slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to raise their temperature. Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking constantly.

Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil (bubbles appear and it coats the back of a spoon), about 2–4 minutes. Do not let it scorch.

Remove the pan from heat and immediately pour the hot custard over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute to melt the chocolate, then whisk until smooth and glossy.

Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons heavy cream, the cold butter pieces (add a few at a time), and the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until fully incorporated and the filling is silky. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Strain the chocolate custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to ensure absolute smoothness and remove any cooked bits.

Pour the warm chocolate custard into the cooled Oreo crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles.

Cover the pie surface with plastic wrap (touching the custard) to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator until fully set, at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

About 20–30 minutes before serving, prepare the Chantilly cream. Chill a medium mixing bowl and the whisk or beaters in the freezer for 5–10 minutes (optional but helps).

Add the chilled heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to the chilled bowl. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat; you want a light, billowy cream.

Remove the chilled pie from the refrigerator and peel off the plastic wrap. Spread or pipe the Chantilly cream evenly over the set chocolate filling. If piping, use a large star tip for decorative swirls.

Use a vegetable peeler to shave the 1 ounce of dark chocolate over the top to create curls/shavings. Sprinkle optional cocoa powder or cocoa nibs lightly if desired.

Return the assembled pie to the refrigerator for 15–30 minutes to let the whipped cream set. Serve chilled. Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.