There may never be a dessert so inviting as a chocolate pudding pie. This version, from chef Elizabeth Falkner, is intensely chocolaty, comes with a cloud of whipped cream, and sports a press-in crust so easy you could assemble it with your eyes closed. Faulkner gilds her chocolate pie recipe with an optional cacao nib praline (that, shh, is also extremely easy to make) for a garnish that’ll make your homemade pie look like you got dessert catered from a swanky restaurant.

Since the creamy chocolate pie filling will never see the glow of the oven, you’ll have to blind-bake the pie shell until it’s golden brown. We like a metal pie plate for its superior ability to conduct heat. You don’t actually need pie weights for this pie crust recipe, but if you want extra insurance that the dough won’t slump, the best pie weights are also made from metal.

The pie filling gets its rich chocolate flavor from unsweetened cocoa powder and good-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, disks, or chopped bars. Remember to temper the egg yolks so they don’t curdle by slowly pouring the hot milk mixture while whisking (enlist a friend to hold the bowl in place if you’re having trouble).

We love the juxtaposition of dense chocolate pudding and fluffy whipped cream, but you will have some leftover egg whites; if you prefer a stiff-peaked meringue topping, by all means switch it up (follow the directions in our Lemon Meringue Pie recipe). And about that praline: If you’d rather skip it, top the pie with simple chocolate shavings, crushed chocolate cookies, or absolutely nothing at all.

Ingredients

8 servings

Preparation

1. Press-in crust:

   Step 1

   Place rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Butter 9″ pie dish. Mix 10 Tbsp. (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, melted, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt in medium bowl. Add 1⅓ cups (167 g) all-purpose flour and mix until well blended. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared dish; crimp edges decoratively. Bake crust until golden brown and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Cool crust completely on wire rack. Maintain oven temperature.

2. Praline topping:

   Step 2

   If making praline topping, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup light corn syrup, 1 Tbsp (packed) light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt in medium bowl to blend. Stir in ¼ cup cocoa nibs and ¼ cup pecans, chopped. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until mixture spreads and is deep golden brown, about 18 minutes (mixture will flow together into 1 piece on baking sheet). Remove from oven; cool completely on sheet. Break praline into irregular pieces or shards.

3. Chocolate pie filling and assembly:

   Step 3

   Bring 2 cups whole milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan; remove from heat. Meanwhile, whisk 6 large egg yolks, ⅔ cup (packed; 134 g) light brown sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and remaining ¼ cup whole milk to blend in medium bowl; whisk in 6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder and 4 tsp. cornstarch until smooth. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until filling thickens and boils. Remove from heat. Add 4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped and 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter; whisk until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate filling into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until filling is cold and set, about 4 hours.

   Step 4

   Using electric mixer, beat 1½ cups very cold heavy cream and 3 Tbsp. powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Cut pie into wedges. Serve with whipped cream and praline pieces.

   Do ahead: Praline can be prepared 1 day ahead of time; store wrapped tightly in plastic in single layer at room temperature. Pie can be assembled without topping 1 day ahead of time; press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the chocolate filling and keep chilled. 

   Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed December 2005. Head this way for more of our favorite pie recipes →