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.

1. In a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly with a fork and set aside.
2. 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

1. Prepare an ice water bath and set aside.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Spread the topping onto the chilled pie and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

CRACKED GLASS CARAMEL

1. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat and set aside.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.