Chocolate Caramel Whipped Cream Pie
This Chocolate Caramel Whipped Cream Pie combines two delicious flavors…caramel and chocolate. Homemade caramel is combined with whipped cream for a delectable topping on this bittersweet chocolate pie and it’s garnished with bits of homemade caramel. Totally delectable!!
Have you ever wondered what the combination of chocolate and caramel would taste like in a pie? It never once crossed my mind until a few days ago. Where oh where have I been?!
I make lots of chocolate pies and I’ve never once thought about adding caramel in any form to a chocolate pie. However, when I saw Martha Stewart making this pie on her Martha Bakes show, I knew I had to make it. I was also enthralled by the idea of making caramel bits of candy to sprinkle over the top.
There are a few steps to this recipe. However, each one by itself is easy. Also, you can make some of them a day or two in advance. That being said…I’m breaking this recipe down into 5 parts, each one with easy steps and pictures. Don’t feel intimidated by making the caramel either. Just read the steps here above the recipe card before you start. It’s really not hard.
Prebaked Pie Crust (part 1)
We start with a pre-baked 9-inch pie crust for this recipe. If you don’t have your own favorite recipe, here is my favorite…Aunt Elsie’s Flaky Pie Crust. You can actually make the pie crust a day or two in advance. Also, here is how to bake an empty pie shell.
Cooking the pie filling (part 2)
Before starting, make sure you use good-quality chocolate for the best flavor. I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet 60% cacao.
- In a medium saucepan, you’re going to heat chopped chocolate and milk over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate melts.
- Then you’ll add a dry mixture of sugar, cornstarch, and salt and whisk to combine. Then bring it to a boil, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil, and let it boil for about 30 seconds.
- Now you’re going to add egg yolks, but if you simply add the egg yolks to the hot mixture, you will end up with scrambled pieces of egg in your pie filling. So here’s what you’re going to do. This is called tempering the eggs. Momentarily, remove the pan from the heat. Transfer about 1 cup of the hot chocolate mixture to a bowl containing egg yolks. Immediately whisk the mixture vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Now you’ll return it back to the pan.
- Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium heat, while whisking constantly. Once the mixture comes to a bubbling boil, boil for 30 seconds and remove the pan from the heat.
- Now you’re going to add a tiny bit of butter and some vanilla and mix to combine and pour the mixture into your pre-baked pie crust.
- Now you need to refrigerate the pie filling for at least 4 hours or overnight until it’s chilled and set.
Making the Caramel For the whipped cream topping (part 3)
Before starting this part…prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl or pan and set it aside. Now you’re going to make a quick and easy caramel that you’re going to cool in ice water before adding it to freshly whipped heavy whipping cream. Oh…so good! So here we go…
- You’re going to start by adding sugar, water, and salt to a small saucepan. Cover with a lid, and heat over medium-high heat without stirring, but swirling the mixture around in the pan. Remove the lid after 1 minute. Here’s why you use the lid. The steam from the lid keeps sugar crystals from forming on the insides of the pan.
- Now you’re going to continue swishing the mixture around in the pan until it’s a light amber color. Reduce the heat to medium-low heat at this point. You don’t want to take your eyes off of it. The caramel can go from light amber to burned very quickly. Look at the pictures below. I show you how it changes in the top 3 pictures.
- In the last picture on the right, the mixture has reached a light amber color. Now you will slowly add some whipping cream, pouring it down the inside of the pan, and whisking vigorously at the same time. If you don’t whisk it vigorously, and if you pour it all at once, the caramel will turn into a hard clump sticking to your whisk. Keep whisking until the mixture comes to a boil and immediately remove it from the heat and place the pan in the ice water bath.
- Allow the caramel to cool for at least 20 minutes or until very cool to the touch, mixing occasionally while it’s cooling. Notice in the bottom row of pictures, (1) right before coming off the heat, (2) placed in the water bath, and (3) totally cooled.
Combining whipped cream & caramel (part 4)
- This part is so easy. Simply add whipping cream and cornstarch to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk the whipping cream on low, gradually increasing to high as it begins to thicken, (this prevents it from splattering everywhere). Whisk until soft peaks form.
- Slowly pour in the cold caramel and whisk until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the topping onto the chilled pie and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Making the cracked glass caramel (part 5)
You can make this a day or two in advance and just keep it in a sealed bag or container. Note: Do not sprinkle the candy pieces on the top of the pie until you’re ready to serve the pie or they will start to melt into the topping.
- First, line a rimmed cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat and set it aside.
- Add sugar and water to a small saucepan. It will look like wet sand. Heat it over medium-high heat and cook while swishing the mixture around in the pan, until the mixture is dark amber in color. This will happen quickly. It will go from light to dark within seconds, so watch it closely.
- Immediately pour the mixture onto the baking sheet, spreading thin with a spoon or spatula. Allow the caramel to cool completely, and use a serrated knife to chop it into tiny pieces.
- Sprinkle some of the pieces over the caramel whipped cream on the pie just before serving.
This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart.
More chocolate pie recipes you might like…
Old Fashioned Chocolate Cream Pie
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PrintChocolate Caramel Whipped Cream Pie
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Pie
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
This delicious pie has a chocolate pie filling, topped with homemade caramel whipped cream, and bits of homemade cracked glass caramel candy.
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE PIE FILLING & CRUST
- One prebaked 9-inch pie shell
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk, or part half & half and part 2 percent
- 4 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate baking bar, broken into pieces. (I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao)
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- Pinch of salt
- 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
CRACKED GLASS CARAMEL
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water
Instructions
CHOCOLATE FILLING & CRUST
Pie crust: If you don’t have your own recipe for a pie crust feel free to use my recipe. To see how to prebake an empty pie shell click here.
- In a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly with a fork and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and chocolate over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate melts. Add the dry mixture and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for about 30 seconds and remove from heat. Pour about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, whisking vigorously. (This is called tempering the eggs. If you add the egg yolks directly to the pan of hot liquid, they will cook up into scrambled egg pieces). Pour the egg mixture back into the pan and return the pan to the heat. Stir constantly and bring to a boil. Boil for about 30 seconds or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat. Add the butter and vanilla and mix to combine. Pour the filling into the baked pie shell. Cover the top of the filling with plastic wrap to prevent a skim from forming and refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours, or overnight before adding the caramel whipped cream.
CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
- Prepare an ice water bath and set aside.
- Add the sugar, water, and salt to a small saucepan. Cover with a lid, and heat over medium-high heat without stirring, but swirling the mixture around in the pan. Remove the lid after 1 minute. The steam from the lid keeps sugar crystals from forming on the sides of the pan. Continue swishing the mixture around in the pan until it’s a light amber color. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Note: The caramel can go from light amber to burnt very quickly so don’t take your eyes off of it.
- Carefully pour 1 cup of the heavy cream down the inside of the pan in a slow steady stream while whisking constantly. It’s important to add the cream slowly while whisking constantly. If you add the cream too quickly, it will turn in to a hard clump on your whisk. Keep whisking until the mixture begins to bubble and remove it from the heat.
- Immediately place the pan in the ice bath and leave it for 20 minutes, or until it’s very cool to the touch, stirring occasionally. Don’t add the caramel to the whipped cream if it’s the least bit warm.
- Meantime, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream and the cornstarch to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk the whipping cream on low, gradually increasing to high as it begins to thicken, (this prevents it from splattering everywhere). Whisk until soft peaks form. Slowly pour in the cold caramel and whisk until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the topping onto the chilled pie and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
CRACKED GLASS CARAMEL
- Line a rimmed cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat and set aside.
- Add the sugar and water to a small saucepan. It will look like wet sand. Heat it over medium-high heat and cook while swishing the mixture around in the pan, until the mixture is dark amber in color. This will happen quickly. It will go from light to dark within seconds, so watch it closely.
- Immediately pour the mixture onto the baking sheet, spreading thin with a spoon or spatula. Allow the caramel to cool completely, and use a serrated knife to chop it into tiny pieces.
- Sprinkle some of the pieces over the caramel whipped cream on the pie just before serving. If you do it ahead of time, the caramel pieces will start to melt into the topping.
Notes
- Please read this recipe thoroughly before making it. This recipe can be made in steps, making the pie one day and the topping the next. The cracked glass candy can be made up to 5 days in advance.