White Chocolate Cream Pie

 I think it's time we made a dessert.  It's been, like, forever since we made dessert.  Holy crap you guys.  Since OCTOBER. 

Now normally, I'm not the hugest fan of white chocolate - but I am a fan of cream pies.  And whipped cream.  And shortbread pie crust.  Long story short - I'm a fan of THIS pie.

Start with the base.  Pretty simple shortbread cookie and butter combo.  Just between you and me, this box of cookies is ALMOST the perfect amount.  I'm usually a couple of tablespoons short, but it feels silly to buy two boxes.  I suppose I could freeze them, but I tend to be forgetful and will probably find them in two years looking for a bag of soup.

That happens because I'm busy and tired. 

Crush up the cookies in a food processor until they are fine crumbs.

And then add the melted butter.

Stir together to coat the crumbs with the butter and then bake and cool.

Then, you'll make the filling.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and cream,

And the cornstarch.

Stir that all together until combined and then add the white chocolate chips.

Meanwhile, separate the yolks from the whites.

And lightly beat together.

Then, you're going to SLOWLY add a little of the hot milk mixture while beating the egg yolks.  Don't be afraid of this going too slowly.  Take your time.  If you rush, you'll cook the eggs and then it'll be gross and you'll have to start over.

This is called tempering the eggs.  It basically just means warming up the eggs so the same temperature as the mixture you're adding it to.  So the eggs don't cook on their own and everything tastes like scrambled eggs.  (YUCK)

Once the eggs are tempered, slowly add them to the milk mixture while whisking briskly. 

Then cook until the mixture is thickened.  Now you've made pudding! 

Well - then you're going to add some butter and THEN you've made pudding!

Now just let this cool to room temperature. 

Once the pudding has cooled, and the crust is cool, pour the pudding into the crust.  Cover with saran wrap, allowing the wrap to lightly touch the surface of the pudding - this helps prevent a skin.  Also yuck.

Put the pie into the fridge to set overnight.  I just think this is the best length of time for a cream pie to set properly so it will cut nicely.

When you're ready to serve, top with this beautiful almond-flavored whipped cream.

And serve.

And serve.

Isn't that so pretty!?  This makes me so happy!

I'm pretty sure that chocolate and almond is one of the most ubiquitous pairings in the world, but the almost whipped cream it makes the chocolate in this pie zing to another level of delicious.

Smooth, creamy, perfectly paired.  Whether you like white chocolate or not, this is still a delicious dessert for any occasion!

Xoxo - Heather

 

White Chocolate Cream Pie

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 cup cream

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

4 egg yolks

2 Tablespoons salted butter

2 cups of shortbread cookie crumbs

1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons melted butter

2 cups whipping cream

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring

1. Combine the cookie crumbs and the melted butter.  Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes and then set aside to cool.
2. While the crust is cooling, combine the milk, cream, and cornstarch in a large pot.  Heat gently over low heat and stir in the chocolate chips.  Stir until the chocolate chips are melted. 
3. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks together.  Slowly add in some of the milk mixture while beating the eggs.  Once the eggs are warmed through (or tempered), whisk the egg mixture back into the pot on the stove.  Whisk over low heat until well thickened. 
4. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter.  Allow to cool to room temperature.
5. Once the pudding is cool and the crust is cool, pour the pudding into the crust.  Cover with saran wrap, allowing the wrap to lightly rest on the surface of the pie to help prevent a crust from forming.  Let rest in the refrigerator overnight.
6. When ready to serve, whip the cream briefly then add the sugar and almond flavoring.  Continue to whip the cream until stiff peaks form.  Then spread over the entire surface of the pie with the whipped cream and serve.

Source:  The Kitchen Magpie