As the boy was growing up he routinely told me what a wonderful cook I was...when I served him Kraft Macaroni and Cheese with cut-up hotdogs along side he said I was the, "best cook in the world!" When I served him scrambled eggs with ketchup he said, "Mom you make the best eggs and ketchup!" When I served him soup out of a can he asked if I could show him how to make soup like that! So when I made him a Chocolate Jello Pudding Pie with melted Hershey Chocolate bar pieces, my "cooking crown" was firmly cemented upon my head. This is his favorite pie. On his birthday, or on other special occasions, he'll ask me to make him chocolate pie. In the past, I've tried different chocolate pie recipes, wanting to make the boy the best tasting pie out there, including this pie which is TOTALLY AMAZING...but the boy turned his nose up.
This is one of those recipes that everyone can make...staples from the pantry, tried and true, and it does taste great...over the years I've learned a few tricks to make sure this pie doesn't taste like it came from a box:
1. Do not use the Instant pudding...the "cook and serve" type is what you want.
2. Use only whole milk...anything else and your pie will not only taste like it came from a box but it will taste LIKE the box.
3. Use the regular Oreo's...no low-fat versions please.
4. Use real whipped cream. Please.
5. Do not substitute the butter with margarine or worse, if you "can't believe it's butter" then your pie won't either!
6. You CAN substitute the Hershey chocolate for another brand of chocolate, something better...but really, that would be like taking a hotdog to a banquet...Hershey and Jello go hand in hand.
Doubling this recipe will give you a 10-inch deep-dish pie, which is what I make. For a 9-inch pie, cut the recipe in half. Oh...if making the bigger pie you'll have about a cup of filling left over...cook's bonus!
Chocolate Cream Pie With An Oreo Crust ~ Pots and Pins
30 Oreo Cookies
1/2 stick butter
2 packages (5 oz.) Jello Chocolate Cook and Serve Pudding
2 Hershey Milk Chocolate Candy Bars (1.55 oz.), separated
6 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar
To make crust: Put Oreo's into a food processor, process until crumbly. Melt butter in microwave, pour over crushed Oreo's and process until butter is incorporated and the Oreo's are a fine crumb, about 12 pulses. Press this mixture into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove pie from refrigerator and bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
To make filling: In a large saucepan, stir the milk and both packages of Jello Chocolate Cook and Serve Pudding together over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until mixtures comes to a full boil. Remove from heat. Break the Hershey bars into small pieces and add all but two small pieces to the chocolate pudding; stirring until the chocolate has completely melted. (Reserve those pieces for chocolate shavings on top of pie.) Pour filling into slightly cooled pie shell. Cover top of pie with a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Refrigerate pie until completely cooled, about 3 hours.
To make whipped cream: In a medium bowl, whip the cream with a hand-held mixer until soft peaks form. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar. Continuing beating until stiff peaks form. Pile whipped cream on top of cooled pie. Grate remaining chocolate pieces over top of whipped cream. Serve cold. Makes 8 servings.
"There is no need to do any housework at all. After the first four years the dirt doesn't get any worse." ~ Quentin Crisp
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One year ago today: Peach and Nectarine Cobbler
