Chocolate Pudding And Pretzels Food

CHOCOLATE PUDDING PRETZEL PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust, crush the pretzels in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Stir in the brown sugar and butter. Press the pretzel mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
• Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool for 15-20 minutes.
• For the ganache, chop the chocolate if using bar chocolate. Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the cream to just barely simmering in the microwave or on the stovetop. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Let sit without stirring for 2-3 minutes. Stir until glossy and smooth. Spread evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pie crust (it will be a pretty thin layer, don't worry if there are a few bare spots here and there). Refrigerate until set.
• For the pudding, in a medium saucepan, combine the milk and chocolate (chop the chocolate in pieces if using bar chocolate). Heat over medium-low until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is warm.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Carefully ladle in 1/2 cup or so of the warm milk mixture into the bowl, whisking vigorously (this is tempering the eggs so they don't curdle when cooked on the stovetop). Continue ladling in another one or two scoops of the milk mixture and whisk until the egg mixture is smooth.
• Pour the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining chocolate milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, continuing to whisk the entire time, until the mixture is bubbling and thick, 4-5 minutes.
• Off the heat, stir in the vanilla. Transfer the pudding to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the pudding come to room temperature. Spread the pudding evenly in the pie plate. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until the pudding is somewhat set.
• For the creamy topping, whip together the cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer (I often do this in my Blendtec blender) until creamy and smooth. Stir in the vanilla and heavy cream and whip until the mixture is thick and well-combined.
• Spread the creamy topping over the chocolate pudding. Top with chocolate curls or sprinkles, if desired.
• Chill the pie for another 2-3 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE PIE WITH PRETZEL CRUST

Steps:

• Mix the crust ingredients together.
• Press half of the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.
• Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes.
• For the filling, combine the sugar, cornstarch, milk and cornstarch in the top of a double boiler.
• Cook over boiling water until the mixture has thickened, stirring constantly.
• Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
• Stir a bit of the hot chocolate mixture into the egg yolks in order to temper (raise the temperature of) the eggs and keep them from scrambling.
• Add the tempered yolks to the chocolate mixture, stirring constantly and thoroughly.
• Cool the mixture.
• Add the vanilla extract to the chocolate and mix thoroughly.
• Pour the chocolate filling into the pretzel crust.
• Top with the remaining pretzel mixture.
• Chill before serving.

CHOCOLATE PRETZELS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place pretzels on baking sheets. Unwrap candy kisses and place one in the center of each pretzel.
• Place in preheated oven 1 to 2 minutes, until kisses melt. Remove from oven and place one candy-coated chocolate in the center of each pretzel. Chill in refrigerator until set.