Dark Chocolate Sweet Cream Pie


Chocolate Desserts Pies & Tarts High Altitude | Published December 6, 2023 by Mimi Council

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Rich chocolate custard sits inside a chocolate graham cracker crust and is topped with homemade whipped cream and milk chocolate shavings. This Dark Chocolate Sweet Cream Pie is the ultimate chocolate pie that will impress guests for any occasion!

If you love chocolate desserts, be sure to check out some of my other favorite recipes like my Chocolate Peanut Pretzel Pie, Salted Caramel Brownies, or my Avocado Olive Oil Chocolate Cake.

dark chocolate sweet cream pie

If you were a customer at my bake shop, then you know all about sweet cream pies. They were the most popular menu item we had and we served individual slices up in a jar! But, today I'm sharing one of our most popular flavors, which was known as the Ultimate Chocolate Sweet Cream Pie!

I'm showing you exactly how to make this chocolate pie from my bake shop. With a chocolate graham cracker crust, dark chocolate custard filling, fresh made whipped cream on top, and chocolate shavings, this organic pie is sure to become a favorite in your house!

This organic pie is very easy to make, even though it may seem fancy. I start by making a true custard, meaning I use egg yolks and no stabilizers. This is cooked over the stovetop to thicken, then I add in cocoa powder and dark chocolate to create a chocolate pie filling. My sweet cream pies are known for homemade whipped cream on top and I top this one with milk chocolate shavings!

dark chocolate sweet cream pie

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Rich & Creamy: Rich and creamy dark chocolate custard is the star of this chocolate pie. This Dark Chocolate Sweet Cream Pis is made with old fashioned custard, which uses only egg yolks for an incredibly creamy custard that you won’t be able to stop eating. This decadent rich and chocolate pie is a symphony of texture in every bite!

Nostalgic: This Dark Chocolate Sweet Cream Pie is an old fashioned custard, which is incredibly nostalgic. This velvety custard is made the old fashioned way with egg yolks and its topped with fresh made whipped cream. This organic pie is a labor of love, but it is worth every minute!

Chocolate: Need I say more? If you are a chocolate lover then this pie has it all! Chocolate graham cracker crust is filled with dark chocolate custard, whipped cream, and finished off with milk chocolate shavings! This organic pie has three times the chocolate!

Organic Pie: If you were a customer at my bake shop, then this chocolate pie was known as the Ultimate Chocolate Pie on our menu! So, now you can easily make this at home!

dark chocolate sweet cream pie

Ingredients

  • Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter, you can use your favorite. But, if you were a customer at my bake shop and want this to taste just like what you had, then using the exact ingredients I mention here will ensure that happens!
  • Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar, which is less processed than granulated white sugar. This provides a more natural sweetness.
  • Dutch Cocoa Powder: I use organic Dutch cocoa powder for both the crust and in the filling of this chocolate pie.
  • Graham Crackers: I use organic honey graham crackers to make the crust.
  • Eggs: Use large eggs so you have the right amount, you'll only need the yolks. Eggs are what thickens this custard. There is no cornstarch or any other stabilizers in it, just organic egg yolks!
  • All Purpose Flour: I use Cairnspring Mills.
  • Milk: Use whole milk, I prefer to use grassfed milk.
  • Dark Chocolate: I use organic dark chocolate chips in the custard.
  • Heavy Whipping Cream: I use Organic Valley.
  • Vanilla Extract: Us a high quality vanilla extract, like Simply Organic, which is what I used at my bake shop and what I still use.
dark chocolate sweet cream pie

Tools Needed

  • Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
  • Stand Mixer: You'll need a stand mixer, or a hand mixer for this chocolate pie. I prefer a stand mixer as its much faster and hands free.
  • 3-quart Pot: You'll need a 3-quart pot to make the custard, I use my stainless steel.
  • Food Processor: You'll need a food processor to make the crust.
  • 9-inch Pie Pan: You'll need a 9-inch pie pan.
  • High Heat Spatula: I recommend a high heat spatula whenever making custard as this will ensure you do not melt your spatula!
  • Chocolate Shaver: I use a chocolate shaver to shave milk chocolate on top of this chocolate pie. This is optional, but it makes it extra pretty and delicious!

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dark chocolate sweet cream pie

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2

To make the crust: In a food processor, add the graham crackers, butter, cane sugar, and cocoa. Pulse, and then mix until you have a uniform mixture and there are no chunks of graham cracker or butter.

Grease a 9-inch pie pan with butter. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the pie pan, and lightly press it to the sides first. Use the remaining crust and press it down into the bottom of the pan.

Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly dry and set. Allow to cool completely.

chocolate graham cracker crust
chocolate graham cracker crust
chocolate graham cracker crust

Step 3

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the egg yolks and cane sugar. Whisk on low for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightened in color. Add in the flour and whisk to combine completely.

Heat the milk to 140°F. Once the milk has heated, turn the mixer on low and slowly add in the warm milk into the egg mixture. Once completely combined, stop the mixer.

Step 4

In a clean saucepan (do not use the one the milk was heated in, incase milk stuck to the bottom, that will burn if used without cleaning), pour in the egg mixture. Put over low/medium heat.

Continue to heat while continuously stirring with a high heat spatula by scraping the bottoms and the sides. The mixture will start to rise and may bubble, continue to stir. The mixture will start to thicken and continue to stir. The trick is to keep stirring so clumps do not form, as you want a smooth custard. If you see clumps beginning to form, stir vigorously and they will dissolve.

Continue to stir until the custard coats the spatula and does not drip off when you lift it from the pot. The whole process should take around 20 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.

Step 5

Add in the butter, dark chocolate chips, and cocoa and stir to combine completely, making sure all the chocolate chips have melted completely. Place in the fridge for 24 hours (no need to cover it).

Step 6

To assemble the pie: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the heavy whipping cream, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low and gradually increase the speed as the whipped cream starts to thicken, until you are full speed. Whisk until stiff peaks form.

Step 7

Reserve 1/2 of the whipped cream (8 ounces or about 1 cup). Add in about half (4 ounces) of the remaining whipped cream and fold to combine, then add in the other half (4 ounces) of the remaining whipped cream and fold to combine completely.

Transfer the chocolate custard mixture to the pie crust and spread evenly. Top with the remaining 8 ounces of whipped cream. Add milk chocolate shavings on top.

dark chocolate sweet cream pie

Baker's Tips

  • For more tips on making crust, visit How to Make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust From Scratch.
  • When heating the milk, I note to heat it to 140°F. Milk burns as soon as it goes over 160°F. If you burn the milk, the taste of burnt milk will transfer into the custard which is not good! If you don’t have a drink thermometer, then heat the milk just until it’s warm to the touch so that you don’t overheat it and burn it.
  • Heating the milk is crucial as when you slowly add the milk into the egg and sugar mixture it will warm this mixture a bit, before it gets heated. This helps to gently warm the eggs in a gradual state without completely cooking them.
  • When making the custard, stir it continuously. This does not mean you have to stir it vigorously or that it should be hard. It just means that it needs to keep moving and your spatula should be scraping the bottom of the pot so the custard doesn’t sit on the pot and have time to burn. 
  • If you do burn the custard, you will notice small clumps when it’s done cooking. These small clumps are burnt custard from the bottom of the pan. If you do burn it, you can just scoop out the small clumps and your custard will be just fine. You’ll want to do this before adding in any of the other ingredients as it will be easier to remove those small burnt pieces.
  • The custard should be refrigerated overnight. I prefer to make the custard and crust at night, let them both sit overnight, then put together the pie the following day.
  • This pie is made of custard and whipped cream, so it needs to be refrigerated. You can assemble this and store in the fridge until ready to serve. If you are storing overnight, add plastic wrap on top of the pie so the custard and whipped cream don’t dry out.
dark chocolate sweet cream pie

FAQ's

How far in advance can I make this pie?

This is a two day recipe, as you do have to chill the custard overnight for the best results. So, plan to make this at least one day ahead of when you plan to enjoy it. But, you can also make this ahead of time if needed. I would only recommend making this two days in advance as the whipped cream is really best when it's fresh! If you do make the whole pie ahead of time, be sure to cover it really well with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. The plastic wrap will help keep the whipped cream from drying out.

Can I make just the custard?

Haha, love this and yes! If you are looking for an old fashioned chocolate custard recipe, then just make the filling! You can serve it in little dishes with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or even with cookies for dipping.

How should I store this?

This is a cold pie, so it needs to be stored in the fridge because of the custard and whipped cream topping. Always put extras in an airtight container so they don't dry out as that can easily happen in the fridge. If you are prepping the whole pie ahead of time, cover it really well with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

dark chocolate sweet cream pie

Craving More?

dark chocolate sweet cream pie

Dark Chocolate Sweet Cream Pie

Mimi Council
Rich, creamy, and loaded with chocolate! This Dark Chocolate Sweet Cream Pie is an old fashioned, velvety smooth chocolate custard pie inside a chocolate graham crust with fresh homemade whipped cream.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chill Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Makes 8 servings
Calories 503 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Filling

Whipped Cream u0026 Topping

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • To make the crust: In a food processor, add the graham crackers, butter, cane sugar, and cocoa. Pulse, and then mix until you have a uniform mixture and there are no chunks of graham cracker or butter.
  • Grease a 9-inch pie pan with butter. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the pie pan, and lightly press it to the sides first. Use the remaining crust and press it down into the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly dry and set. Allow to cool completely.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the egg yolks and cane sugar. Whisk on low for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightened in color. Add in the flour and whisk to combine completely.
  • Heat the milk to 140°F. Once the milk has heated, turn the mixer on low and slowly add in the warm milk into the egg mixture. Once completely combined, stop the mixer.
  • In a clean saucepan (do not use the one the milk was heated in, incase milk stuck to the bottom, that will burn if used without cleaning), pour in the egg mixture. Put over low/medium heat.
  • Continue to heat while continuously stirring with a high heat spatula by scraping the bottoms and the sides. The mixture will start to rise and may bubble, continue to stir. The mixture will start to thicken and continue to stir. The trick is to keep stirring so clumps do not form, as you want a smooth custard. If you see clumps beginning to form, stir vigorously and they will dissolve.
  • Continue to stir until the custard coats the spatula and does not drip off when you lift it from the pot. The whole process should take around 20 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.
  • Add in the butter, dark chocolate chips, and cocoa and stir to combine completely, making sure all the chocolate chips have melted completely. Place in the fridge for 24 hours (no need to cover it).
  • To assemble the pie: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the heavy whipping cream, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low and gradually increase the speed as the whipped cream starts to thicken, until you are full speed. Whisk until stiff peaks form.
  • Reserve 1/2 of the whipped cream (8 ounces or about 1 cup). Add in about half (4 ounces) of the remaining whipped cream and fold to combine, then add in the other half (4 ounces) of the remaining whipped cream and fold to combine completely.
  • Transfer the chocolate custard mixture to the pie crust and spread evenly. Top with the remaining 8 ounces of whipped cream. Add milk chocolate shavings on top.
  • Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

High Altitude – Follow the recipe as noted.
Tip – The video shows the process of putting the pie together. To get a vide of making the crust, visit my How to Make Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust From Scratch post.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 6gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 86mgPotassium: 232mgFiber: 2gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 1200IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 1mg
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