Buttery Chocolate Cream Pie (Print View)
Creamy chocolate custard with browned butter, finished with fluffy whipped cream on a perfectly baked crust.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 -
A pre-baked plain or cocoa-flavored pie crust
→ Brown Butter Chocolate Filling
02 -
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
03 -
¾ cup (180g) whole milk
04 -
½ cup (100g) brown sugar—light or dark
05 -
Four egg yolks (save the whites for something else)
06 -
300g finely chopped dark or semi-sweet chocolate
07 -
A pinch (¼ tsp) of fine sea salt
08 -
1 teaspoon vanilla (pure extract)
09 -
⅓ cup (80g) full-fat sour cream
10 -
2 tablespoons extra whole milk
→ Whipped Topping
11 -
1-2 cups (240-480g) heavy cream
12 -
2-4 tablespoons of granulated or brown sugar
13 -
A small pinch of fine sea salt
14 -
1 teaspoon of vanilla—or vanilla paste if preferred
15 -
Optional: For every cup of cream, mix in 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (Dutch process)
# Directions:
01 -
Prepare a pie crust and bake it fully blind following your go-to recipe or instructions.
02 -
Use a sharp knife to finely chop chocolate. Put the chopped pieces in a large bowl under a fine-mesh strainer.
03 -
Heat butter in a light-colored saucepan so you can spot changes. Keep gently stirring as it melts, bubbles, and starts smelling nutty when the milk solids turn browned at the bottom.
04 -
While whisking, pour the milk into the browned butter to help cool it. Mix in sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Over medium-low heat, cook and whisk until the custard gets a bit thicker and hits 160°F (70°C).
05 -
Strain the warm custard liquid through the mesh sieve onto the chopped chocolate. Let it sit undisturbed for about 20 seconds, then stir to combine it all. Drop in the vanilla and mix until smooth with no chocolate bits left.
06 -
If the mixture looks like it’s breaking apart, quickly stir in the sour cream, then the extra milk, until the texture becomes glossy and combined, like ganache. Bits of browned butter will still be noticeable—pour this filling into your crust.
07 -
Refrigerate the pie for 4+ hours until it’s completely firm.
08 -
Measure the cream and other topping ingredients into a food processor. Process on high for 1-3 minutes till thick and airy, then spread the whip over the chilled pie.
# Notes:
01 -
Stick to semi-sweet chocolate for a less intense flavor, or opt for dark chocolate if you want it richer.
02 -
Brown butter won’t fully mix in—it’s supposed to leave flavorful little spots in the custard.