Rich Chocolate Custard Recipes

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 1 quart baking dish or 4 ramekins.
• Preaheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Fill a 9x13 pan with 1 inch hot water and put it in the oven.
• Beat the eggs just enough to blend.
• Stir in the sugar, cocoa, and salt.
• Slowly add the hot milk, stirring constantly.
• Stir in the vanilla.
• Pour into the baking dish or ramekins and place in the pan with hot water.
• Bake 55-60 minutes until a knife comes out clean.
• It will firm up as it cools.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bring cream and milk just to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Strain mixture into another bowl. Cool 10 minutes, skimming any foam from surface.
• Divide custard mixture among six 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Cover each with foil. Place cups in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake until custards are set but centers still move slightly when gently shaken, about 55 minutes. Remove from water. Remove foil. Chill custards until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

Steps:

• Beat eggs and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
• Whisk milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, brandy, and salt together in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Slowly pour 1/2 of the milk mixture into the beaten eggs while stirring; pour mixture back into the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not boil.
• Let custard cool to room temperature, at least 10 minutes. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

Steps:

• Prepare crust: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until combined. Add butter and shortening and pulse 10 to 12 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water over mixture; pulse 5 to 6 times or until dough clumps together, adding up to 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary. Gently shape dough into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Roll dough into a 12-inch circle (about 1/8 inch thick) on a floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate; turn edges under and crimp. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Line pastry with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment paper and continue to bake until lightly browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool while preparing filling.
• Prepare filling: Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk together heavy cream, milk, and egg yolks in a medium bowl until completely blended. Gradually whisk egg mixture into sugar mixture.
• Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, just until mixture begins to boil, 6 to 8 minutes. Cook for 1 more minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in semisweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, butter, and vanilla until chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is completely smooth.
• Spread filling in the cooled crust. Place plastic wrap directly on the warm filling and chill in the refrigerator until set, 8 to 24 hours.
• Prepare topping: Beat heavy cream and vanilla at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add 3 tablespoons sugar, beating until soft peaks form.
• Just before serving, top pie with whipped cream.