Make This Indulgent Chocolate Cream Pie for Mother's Day

Chocolate Cream Pie
Photo: Romulo Yanes for InStyle

How far would a mom go to bake her kids something special? Alfred Portale, the chef at Manhattan’s famed Gotham Bar and Grill remembers his mother leaving the country!

Portale’s mom, Connie, would travel over the border from Buffalo, New York, into Canada to buy a special brand of pudding mix to whip up a crowd-pleasing chocolate cream pie.

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“One bite sends me back in time.” —@AldredPortale of his mom’s pie recipe

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Portale recreated his mom’s indulgent dessert for our May issue in honor of Mother’s Day. Luckily for us, this recipe doesn’t require a passport. The dressed-up version is made from scratch and totally worth the effort.

Read on for the delicious recipe!

Want more of our Mother's Day special featuring chefs' favorite family desserts? Pick up the May issue of InStyle, available on newsstands and for digital download now.

Still hungry? Try more of our decadent Mother’s Day desserts:

Pistachio Biscotti Cookies

Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes

Pavlova with Berries

Chocolate Cream Pie

Prep time: 30 minutes

Bake time: 10 minutes

Inactive time: 8 hours

Makes: One 9" pie

Pie Crust Ingredients: 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour ¼ tsp salt ⅛ tsp baking powder 9 tbsp European-style unsalted butter (partially frozen) 4 – 6 tbsp water 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Pie Filling Ingredients: 1 cup sugar ¼ cup cocoa powder ¼ cup cornstarch 1 tsp salt 1 ¾ cups milk 1 ¾ cups heavy cream 8 large egg yolks 6 oz. 72 percent cacao dark chocolate (try Valrhona) 2 tbsp European-style unsalted butter Freshly whipped cream (optional)

For Crust: 1. Using a processor with a blade attachment, mix dry ingredients. 2. Add butter; pulse for 20–25 seconds, or until chunks are pea-size. 3. Slowly add water and vinegar in small amounts just until mixture comes together. 4. Form dough into a disk; cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour. 5. On floured surface, roll out dough ⅛" thick. Line 9" pie pan with dough; fill with pie weights or dried beans. 6. Chill 1 hour. 7. Preheat oven to 350°F. 8. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.

For Filling: 1. In a medium saucepan, whisk sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Turn heat to medium-high and gradually whisk in milk and cream, followed by yolks, until the mixture boils and thickens. 2. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter. Stir to combine. 3. Pour filling into baked crust, and let sit until cool. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 6 hours. 4. Serve with freshly whipped cream.

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