Joybee, What's for Dinner? : Graham Cracker Crust

Friday, December 4, 2015

Double Chocolate Pie

Dark chocolate pudding in a Kona coffee graham cracker crust topped with chocolate whipped cream. A pie for chocolate lovers.

I was alone for Thanksgiving this year and this pie made my holiday. I went back and forth about whether or not I'd make anything special for Thanksgiving. I love cooking, but it's also nice to just relax and have a stress-free holiday. Then I thought about chocolate pie and that decided it for me. I made a Thanksgiving dinner for one just to accompany this pie.

#DoubleChocolate #Pie will make any day special [Tweet this]

Chocolate pie may not be traditional for most people for Thanksgiving, but we always had one when I was growing up. My dad does not like pumpkin pie so he always had a chocolate pie instead. I don't mind pumpkin but as with most sweets I prefer chocolate. So since this meal was just for me I made my favorite. I'm so glad I did too.

When it comes to #sweets I prefer #chocolate esp Dbl Chocolate Pie [Tweet this]

This pie was fabulous. I made my favorite graham cracker crust using local Kona Coffee Royal Creem Crackers. I love these cookies. They are just slightly sweet and very crunchy and the coffee flavor always enhances anything chocolate. The pudding I made with Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder so it was extra chocolaty and I added a double shot of espresso (also local). Then to top it all off I made a chocolate whipped cream for even more rich indulgent chocolate flavor. This is sure to please any chocolate lover.

Please #chocolatelovers w/ Double Chocolate #Pie [Tweet this]

Double Chocolate Pie

Servings: 6-8
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 9-inch Graham Cracker Crust
1 c sugar
1/2 c cocoa
4 T corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
3 c milk
2 oz espresso
2 T butter
1 tsp vanilla
Chocolate Whipped Cream

*Graham Cracker Crust: Mix together 2 cups of cookie crumbs and 1 stick of melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 450 F for 5-8 minutes or until set.

**Chocolate Whipped Cream: You need 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and 1 cup of melting chocolate or chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate). Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and add just enough cream to cover the chocolate. Microwave on high for 15-second intervals, stirring after each until chocolate starts to melt. Continue stirring until the melted chocolate thoroughly mixes with the cream. In a large bowl start beating/whipping the remaining cream until it starts to streak before soft peaks form. Keep whipping while slowly pouring in the chocolate until it is thoroughly mixed and you have stiff peaks.

First prepare the crust and set aside to cool.

In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk and espresso.

Heat over medium heat, stirring continuously until mixture comes to a boil. Keep stirring for one minute more then remove from heat.

You can also cook the pudding in the microwave instead of on the stove top. Follow the same instructions but use a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 7-10 minutes, stirring every 2 until mixture comes to a full boil.

Stir in butter and vanilla.

Then pour into the prepared pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap pressing the wrap directly onto the top of the pudding. Refrigerate for at leats 2 hours and top with the **Chocolate Whipped Cream.

You can serve it immediately, but I prefer to refrigerate it overnight for best results.

Enjoy.

For more chocolate recipes check out:

Tira-mocha Truffles -

Mocha Chip Cheesecake

Dark Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Linked to: Pretty Pintastic, Best of the Weekend, 2 Cup, Lou Lou Girls, Tickle my Tastebuds, Wonderful, Full Plate, Foodie Friends

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Mocha Chip Cheesecake

Yum

A rich chocolate cheesecake with coffee, mini chocolate chips, and a dark chocolate drizzle. A perfect birthday cake for my husband.

It's that time of year again. My husband's birthday was this weekend so I made him his usual chocolate cheesecake birthday cake with just a few tweaks.

For my husband's birthday I made his usual #chocolatecheesecake #birthdaycake [Tweet this]

It's always been a tradition in my family that the birthday person gets their favorite cake, whatever they like. Even my sisters, who are twins, each got their own cake. So every year I ask my husband what kind of cake he wants. Often it's just chocolate cheesecake that he wants but this year he had the idea for a mocha chip (like the coffee drink you can get at a certain coffee shop) cheesecake.

The birthday person gets their favorite cake [Tweet this]

I've already experimented with the usual Hershey's Chocolate Cheesecake recipe by adding coffee flavor a little at a time. This time I just added more coffee flavor by using more finely ground coffee. Then stirred in some mini chocolate chips for a deliciously rich cheesecake that tastes similar to a mocha chip frappuccino. Oh and the smell, while it was mixing and baking. Strong coffee and dark chocolate. It was so mouth watering. Then, when we were finally able to eat a piece; yum! It had the rich creaminess of cheesecake with even richer dark chocolate and Kona coffee and a slight crunch from the milder semisweet chocolate chips. It tasted amazing, but you only need a small slice to be satisfied and a big glass of milk.

You only need a small slice of cake and a big glass of milk [Tweet this]

Mocha Chip Cheesecake

Ingredients:

*Graham cracker crust
3 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
8 oz sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup finely ground coffee
1/4 cup Hershey's special dark cocoa powder
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 cup mini chocolate chips
*Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Preheat oven to 350

*Graham Cracker Crust: crush graham crackers (I used Diamond Bakery Hawaii: Kona Coffee Royal Creem Crackers) in a food processor, blender, or by hand until you have about 1 1/2-2 cups of crumbs. Mix the crumbs with 1 stick of melted butter until thoroughly moistened. Press into the bottom and a little up the side of an 8-inch springform pan. Bake for about 10 minutes at 350F.

Increase oven temperature to 450F.

Cream together cream cheese (I used neufcahtel) and sugar until smooth.

Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Then add the coffee, cocoa, and flour and blend until fully incorporated.

Lastly, stir in the eggs at a time just until blended then gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour into the springform pan over the crust.

Bake at 450F for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature to 250 and continue baking for about 40 minutes. The cake is done when the sides are set, but there is still a small jiggly part in the center.

Remove cake from oven, loosen sides of cake from the pan by running a knife around the edge.

Allow cake to cool completely before removing the sides of the pan.

Prepare chocolate drizzle once the cake is cool.

*Chocolate Drizzle: melt 1/2 cup of chocolate chips (or chocolate pieces) with 2 tsp vegetable shortening in the microwave. Use 15-second bursts and stir well in between until melted.

Using a fork or a squeeze bottle drizzle the cake all over with the chocolate. This is a great way to cover any cracks the cake might have.

Cool overnight in the refrigerator (or at least few hours) before slicing and serving. Don't forget a glass of milk to go with it.

Makes about 12 servings

Enjoy.