Cream Pie & Hot, Hot Chocolate

Our Christmas tree is finally all decorated, and last night I brought out a few presents that I had squirreled away (in secret hiding places) to put under it.  Excitement is running high around here.  We had a chance to slip out and see a movie this week.  I wouldn't mention that, except it was in HD-3D and if you haven't had an opportunity to visit an I-MAX theater, you're missing quite an experience.  We drove for an hour to the nearest one and saw The Polar Express, which I know everyone has already seen, and in fact we went and watched it as soon as it came out and then purchased the DVD to add to our Christmas movie library, so we've seen it quite a few times already.  But, I have to tell you, seeing it come alive dimensionally was truly magical.  The movie is a marvel of technical ingenuity already, but this goes way beyond anything I could ever imagine.  The elves were particularly cute, I just wanted to scoop them up into my pockets and bring them home.  It was just so much fun and we all had a great time. 

So I was serving a little dessert last night, and had just cut the first piece of pie when Ginger piped up and said, "Mom, wait!  You need to take a picture of this beautiful pie for your blog."  I totally cracked up.  But she ran and got the camera, while we sat there drooling.  I don't know how "beautiful" this is, especially in really bad light, but this pie is really good and very easy to make.  Plus it doesn't call for butter or eggs like most chocolate cream pies do.  I did a search for this recipe online and couldn't find it anywhere.  Mine came from dear old mom's recipe box.  She'd clipped it from a box of Pillsbury pie crust years ago.  I use organic ingredients and make my own pie crust, but you can use a pre-made frozen shell or a graham-cracker crust  to save a step if time is an issue.  So basically, you combine the filling in a saucepan, let it cool, and then fold in whipped cream.   You need to allow a few hours for this to set up in the fridge so it's not a last minute type dessert, but you can serve it like chocolate mousse in dessert cups if you want to skip the crust altogether.*Creamy Chocolate Silk PieOne 9" pie-crust shell, pre-baked and cooled.Into a medium saucepan combine:  1/4 cup sugar, 3 T. cornstarch, 1-1/2 cups milk.  Whisk ingredients together until well blended.  Heat just until it starts to thicken, remove from heat and add 1 cup chocolate chips + 1 teas. vanilla.  Allow them to melt into the milk mixture a minute or so before stirring.   Let cool about 10 minutes, cover with a lid and place in the fridge to cool for at least another 30 minutes.   Whip 2 cups of heavy cream + 2 t. powdered sugar until soft peaks form.  Combine half with the cooled chocolate mixture, folding together gently to keep it light.  Fill the pie crust.   Use the remaining whipped cream for the topping, either piped from a bag (if you want to get fancy) or just spread over the top like icing on a cake.  Sprinkle with shaved chocolate or mini-chocolate chips.  Refridgerate 2-3 hours before serving.  Store cold.*When I come back, I'll share the next quiche recipe. . .until then,

. . . have a great weekend!

Comments

[Dawn]

I just saw Polar Express this year. It was enchanting...
Love that little elf!!!

[Suzanne]

Oh yummy--I got to try this one! Thanks for the recipe Vickie.

[Suzanne]

Oops I wanted to tell you to let Gracie know I got my order of dollhouse treats and they are wonderful--a certain girl here is going to love opening these in her stocking Christmas morn:-)

[~ Junkyard Jennifer]

I just love your new blog header. That little elf is so cute!

[~ Junkyard Jennifer]

Forgot to add... Your blog caught my eye a long time ago because you have the A-Z Quiche recipes. That, and the vintage goodies in your pictures. :) I love quiche, and I've been waiting for my kitchen to be up and running (and it will be soon) so I can try some of them. {And I can't remember if I ever said all of this!}

[Debbie]

Your pie looks yummy!

[Jen]

That's a great sounding pie! We're nuts about chocolate cream pie around here (regular pie crust only, mind you...not the sweeter crumb kind and definitely real whipped cream), but I've never tried folding the whipped cream into the pudding first! This is one to give a whirl...thanks!

[theolivepapaya]

This sounds yummy! By the way I love quiche, you've got me totally in suspense.

[Carrie]

The Polar Express in 3D is something,isn't it? Especially the snow falling...I loved that!

[janet]

It's funny how, when you have a blog, everything becomes subject matter for it. Including things you cook and bake. The pie looks really yummy - I haven't had chocolate pie for years. My grandmother used to make it sometimes.

[Alice]

Oh darn...hubby just said he had to stop eating. Does that mean Chocolate Silk Pie? I could make it and save it all for me! I love the little elf!

[jen]

ooohhh! I bet that WAS magical at the IMAX. God knows how far we'd have to drive from Eureka. Probably four hours to Santa Rosa!
I'll be lookin' for the quiche recipe. Last year when I had a housefull of guests I made one with eggbeaters. Good Lord...that thing was SO WATERY after baking twice as long as it called for...just had to throw the whole mess away. Lesson learned: some things just can NOT be substituted!

[Bren]

Your pie sounds wonderful and I love your hanging elf. :)Bren

http://benzy55.typepad.com/my_weblog/

[Rosa]

The pie sound luscious (and looks so also!). I have several of those evil looking elves lurking around my house also. I'm almost afraid to turn the lights off at night!

[Britt-Arnhild]

My family always teases me when I want to make photos of our food from my blogs :-)

[kari and kijsa]

Yum, yum, drool, yum! The pie looks fantastic! We will have to catch Polar express on IMAX, we saw the movie at the regular theater, but have heard many comments that echo your words!

Merry Christmas blessings,
kari & kijsa

[sarah]

I love it when family and friends become complicit in the strange habits of bloggers. My friends will physically restrain my boyfriend from eating a perfectly arranged plate before I can photograph it.

[Ginger]

Thanks for the recipe... DH and I are celebrating our ten year anniversary on Wednesday, and I think this will make a great dessert!

[Rosemary]

I wanted to tell you that we saw the pOlar express in 4-D this weekend! You can smell the hot chocolate, and you get rumbling seats when the train goes by, and sprayed with water when it skids on the ice! So cute! Rosemary

[TURKAN ARPACI]

i like your style...
so warm, so colorfull