Receta The Classic Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe and a Love Story
This is simply the Ultimate Classic Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe. It’s creamy and milk chocolate-y with a touch of crunch from the nutty crust and a hint of cinnamon , the perfect chocolate dessert.
This is not your average chocolate pie, this is a pie with a past, a pie with a story. It’s a long story but, it’s a good story. It’s the perfect story for Valentine’s Day.
I’m not quite sure how far back this pie recipe goes but, what I do know about its past begins with Lola.
Lola was a warm and friendly woman that lived in a sunny yellow kitchen near main street. She always made sure there was a big breakfast or sandwich waiting when you came to her kitchen, whether you wanted one or not. Lola may have been known for her cooking but, she was famous for her baking and her chocolate pie.
A telegram came to the sunny yellow kitchen one day. It was from Lola’s son who was on leave from the Philippines during World War II. Her son loved the chocolate pie and Lola knew she would have one waiting for him when he came threw her door. What she didn’t know was that the young army officer was bringing his bride home to meet his mother for the very first time.
Lola took a picture of that day. A faded black and white photograph of the army officer in dress uniform, his arm around the bride in a wide-brimmed hat and polka dot dress with a chocolate pie stain on her lap. In her nervousness at meeting Lola, the bride dropped a piece of chocolate pie on her lap. The camera captured the moment for everyone to share.
Over the years, Lola’s chocolate pie recipe has undergone some changes. When Lola passed, the bride became the official maker of the pie. She was not known for her cooking the way Lola was, so she did what any good homemaker in the ’60s would do, she changed little bits of the chocolate pie to make it easier. She also changed Lola’s flaky crust (the crust the bride could never quite master) into a graham cracker crust.
This new version of the chocolate pie was just as delicious and it kept her army officer happy for over 60 years.
Finally, the day came when the army officer’s son called on the telephone to say he was coming home from college for a visit. He asked his mother to make the chocolate pie for him. What she didn’t know was that he was bringing his girl home to meet the family for the very first time.
There is not a picture of that day but, for 35 years, I have been making Lola’s chocolate pie for my little branch of her family. And, like my mother-in-law, I have put my own little spin on Lola’s cherished chocolate pie.
My little touches to Lola’s amazing chocolate pie recipe are the toasted pecans and cinnamon in the graham cracker crust. I also added my “method” for making the crust that leaves the crumbs larger for more texture than usual.
Please do try this chocolate pie. It’s fast, easy and just can’t fail.
—posted by Sandy
The Classic Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe and a Love Story
Author: Lola Hoopes adapted by Sandy Hoopes
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
- 9 oz whole graham crackers
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1 stick butter, melted (sometimes a little more)
- 3 large (5 oz) packages Jello HEAT AND SERVE Chocolate Pudding
- (not chocolate fudge and NOT sugar free and NOT instant)
- 9 cups whole milk
- 1 stick of real butter, cut into cubes
- 6 ounces Hershey’s MILK Chocolate bars (not chocolate chips, they
- have too much wax and stabilizers), broken into pieces.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (16 oz) heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Break up the graham crackers and place in a food processor and process until they are crumbs but still have a texture. Do not over process into powder. Work with smaller batches to keep the size of the crumbs even. Pour into a bowl.
Chop the pecans until finely chopped (I buy them chopped and then chop them a little more). Place crumbs in a dry frying pan over medium high heat and toast lightly until you can smell the aroma.
Add the pecans, sugar, cinnamon and salt to the graham cracker crumbs and stir until well combined. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir well so that all of the crumbs are coated with butter.
Divide the crumb mixture and scoop into each pie pan. Using the bottom of the measuring cup, press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
Place in the refrigerator to set while making the chocolate filling.
Pour pudding mix into a large sauce pan, add milk. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Stir constantly and cook over medium heat until the pudding comes to a full boil. If the heat is too high, the pudding will scorch. Keep stirring or the pudding will scorch and stick to the bottom of the pan. You may inch up the heat a little if necessary.
Remove the pan from the hot burner the minute it comes to a boil.
Quickly add the cubed butter and stir until melted. Then, add the chocolate pieces and stir into the pudding until melted and well combined. Add the pinch of salt and stir.
Pour the pudding into the pie crusts. Cover each of the pies with a piece of plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap touches the surface of the hot pudding and completely covers it so it will not get a “skin” on top.
Return the pies to the refrigerator until chilled.
Whip the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and the vanilla and whip to stiff peaks.
Remove the plastic from the surface of the pies. Divide the whipped cream over the pies and smooth all the way to the edges of the pie crust. The pudding that is not covered by cream will turn dark.
Refrigerate again to set the whipped cream.
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Valentine's Day Dessert Recipe