Chocolate Ganache Cream Pie
This chocolate ganache cream pie is incredible and so easy! Rich chocolate ganache is whipped until light and fluffy, spread in a pie crust and topped with whipped cream. Wow!
Most chocolate cream pudding pies are soft-set and can fall apart when cut into slices. Not so with this chocolate ganache cream pie! The filling is wonderfully light and fluffy while still being firm and sturdy enough for neat and tidy slices of perfect chocolate pie.
How to Make This Chocolate Ganache Cream Pie
The chocolate pudding filling for this pie is different than classic chocolate cream pie. The foundation is chocolate ganache, which is basically a luxurious, rich mixture of two simple ingredients: chocolate and cream.
Here’s how to make this pie:
- Make the chocolate ganache by combining chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and hot cream.
- Let it sit until the chocolate is melted. Stir until the mixture is super glossy and smooth.
- Refrigerate until the ganache is thoroughly chilled.
- Whip the ganache with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add in a small amount of whipped cream + cream cheese to level up the creaminess even more (it doesn’t taste like cream cheese at all).
- Spread the whipped ganache into a baked pie crust.
- Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
- Serve chilled.
A Few Important Ingredients Notes
The ingredients for this pie are ultra-simple. Below are a few notes to make sure the pie is completely foolproof and turns out perfectly.
- Chocolate/Chocolate Chips: Use good-quality chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for this pie. The brands of chocolate chips that melt the best are Ghirardelli or Guittard. Coarsely chopped chocolate also works well (and will melt better than generic chocolate chip brands), like Baker’s brand bar chocolate, Trader Joe’s pound plus bars, or Ghirardelli bar chocolate (found in the baking aisle).
- Pie Crust: My go-to pie crusts are this sour cream pie crust or this slightly easier no-fail pie crust or the pie crust recipe from my cookbook. You can also use a pre-baked and cooled graham cracker crust for this pie, if that is your preference.
➡️ See the box below on how to blind bake a pie crust the easy way!
How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust:
- Roll out the pie crust and transfer it to a pie plate. Trim and flute the edges of the crust.
- Use a fork to pierce holes across the bottom of the pie crust.
- Loosely cover the pie plate and chill the pie crust for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. This is important to help relax the gluten in the pie crust and firm up the butter so the crust doesn’t slouch down the sides while baking!
- Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper or foil.
- Fill the parchment or foil with dried beans (or pie weights) until the beans cover the bottom and all the way up the sides – make sure the beans or weights are gently pressed into the bottom and sides with no gaps.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes until the edges are starting to turn golden.
- Remove the pie from the oven and carefully lift out the beans or weights by lifting up the parchment or foil.
- Return the pie plate to the oven and continue baking for 10 to 15 more minutes (watch closely!) until the crust is lightly golden and no longer looks wet.
Make-Ahead Notes
This pie is an excellent make-ahead pie for the holidays (or any time!).
To make ahead of time: Fill the pie with the ganache filling, cover and refrigerate for up to three days. Right before serving, whip the cream and top the pie or individual slices with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
This pie has been sneakily living on my site for years buried in a pie boot camp post, but I bet most of you are unaware of it’s existence. It is one of my favorite pies ever and definitely deserving of it’s very own blog post.
The texture of this ganache pie is fabulous. It’s like taking the center of your most favorite, decadent, truffly chocoalate treat and whipping it into a creamy, ethereal cloud of chocolatey goodness. The filling is soft and airy and creamy and just so good. Add this pie to your holiday menu; you won’t be sorry!
Chocolate Ganache Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 9-inch pie crust, baked and cooled in a 9-inch pie plate (see note)
Ganache Filling:
- 2 cups (340 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (see note)
- 3 cups heavy cream, divided (meaning you'll use 2 1/2 cups first and then 1/2 cup later)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
Whipped Cream Topping:
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup (38 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- For the ganache filling, add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl.
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups cream to a gentle simmer. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla. Stir the mixture until it is well-combined, glossy, and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, 2-3 hours.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or whisk attachment (or in a bowl using a handheld mixer), combine the softened cream cheese and remaining 1/2 cup cream. Mix until creamy and thick, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove the mixture into a small bowl and set aside (scrape the bowl really well as you'll use it again in the next step).
- In the same larger mixing bowl (no need to clean), add the chilled chocolate ganache.
- Whip the mixture until the ganache is fluffy and lighter in color, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the reserved cream cheese mixture to the ganache filling and whip on low speed until well-combined and no white streaks remain.
- Spread the filling evenly in the baked and cooled pie crust. Cover and chill for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.
- For the whipped cream topping, combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in a blender (or using an electric handheld or stand mixer) and mix until thick and fluffy.
- Spread the whipped cream over the chilled pie.
- Optional: Use a rasp grater or small holes on a box grater to grate chocolate over the pie or individual servings. Can also garnish with chocolate sprinkles, chocolate curls, or crisp chocolate pearls.
- Cut into slices and serve chilled.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (this recipe used to be buried in this blind-baking pie crust tutorial)
