Chocolate Cream Personal Pie Recipe

Prepare and press crust

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 4.5–5 inch (12 cm) tart pans or a single small 5–6 inch removable-bottom pan. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt until evenly combined.

Add the cold cubed butter. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub or cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining.

Sprinkle the cold water over the mix and gently toss with a fork until the dough starts to come together. Do not overwork. If needed, add up to 1 more teaspoon of cold water very sparingly.

Divide dough between the pans. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides to form a 1/8–1/4 inch (3–6 mm) crust. Prick the bottoms a few times with a fork to prevent bubbling.

Line crusts with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 4–6 more minutes until set. Allow crusts to cool on a rack while making the filling.

Mix dry components

In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa powder until no lumps remain.

In a small saucepan, combine milk and 100 ml of the heavy cream. Warm over medium heat until it begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edge (do not boil).

Temper the egg yolk: place the egg yolk in a small bowl. Whisk about 2 tablespoons of the warm milk mixture into the yolk to slightly warm it, whisking constantly. Then pour the tempered yolk back into the saucepan while whisking.

Add the dry sugar/cornstarch/cocoa mixture to the saucepan in a steady stream while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Continue to cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency and just comes to a simmer, about 3–5 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and immediately stir in the chopped dark chocolate, butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until the chocolate and butter are fully melted and the filling is smooth and glossy.

If the filling has any small lumps, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and let it cool until it is warm to the touch, about 15–20 minutes. It will thicken further as it cools.

When the filling is warm (not hot) and spreadable, divide it evenly between the prepared cooled crusts. Smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Place the pies in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least 1 hour.

Shortly before serving, pour the remaining 60 ml heavy cream and the confectioners' sugar into a chilled bowl. Whip with a whisk or hand mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (about 1–2 minutes).

Pipe or spread a dollop of whipped cream onto each chilled pie. Dust lightly with cocoa powder and top with optional chocolate shavings or chopped nuts, if using.

Serve immediately or keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours. For best texture, remove pies from the refrigerator 10–15 minutes before serving to allow the chocolate cream to soften slightly.