Chocolate Pie with Chocolate Crémeux, Mascarpone Whip & Salted Caramel
This chocolate pie is a keeper. It has a crisp chocolate cookie crust, a silky dark chocolate crémeux filling, fluffy mascarpone whip, and little pools of salted caramel on top.
It’s rich, creamy, chocolatey, and so elegant without being overly complicated. The texture is the best part — crisp crust, smooth custard, soft whip, and that caramel finish. I hope you love it.
Highlights Of This Recipe
Decadent Layering: Features a layered combination of dark chocolate custard, fluffy mascarpone cream, and rich caramel.
Textural Balance: Pairs a crisp chocolate cookie crust with a smooth filling, velvety whip, and a soft caramel finish.
Elegant Presentation: Simple components come together for a clean, sophisticated dessert presentation perfect for entertaining.
Essential Prep for Success
Chill Your Equipment: Place your mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for about 30 minutes before working on the mascarpone whip to help it reach the perfect texture.
Organize Your Stages: Ensure you allow enough time (2–3 hours) for the chocolate crémeux to fully firm up in the refrigerator before moving on to the final assembly steps.
Temper Care: Have your heatproof bowls ready and whisk constantly when pouring the hot cream into the egg mixture to avoid cooking the eggs unevenly.
Secrets for the Perfect Recipe
The Sieve Step: Pouring the hot custard through a sieve directly over your dark chocolate is key—it catches any bits and ensures the crémeux attains its characteristically smooth, glossy consistency.
Mind the Cream Filling: If using Oreos for your crust base, always scrape out and discard the cream center completely before crushing the cookies to keep the crust crisp and properly balanced.
Caramel Coordination: Use warm heavy cream when mixing your caramel to prevent the hot melted sugar from seizing up during the bubbling phase.
Yield: 1 9-inch pie (approx. 8-10 slices)
Chocolate Cookie Crust
Ingredients
220 g chocolate cookie crumbs
If using Oreos, remove the cream before crushing
30 g granulated sugar
¼ tsp kosher salt
58 g unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl, combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar, and salt.
Pour in the melted butter and mix until a moistened crumb forms.
Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch tart pan.
Bake for 10–12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.
Chocolate Crémeux
Ingredients
120 g dark chocolate
120 g whole milk
120 g heavy cream
28 g granulated sugar
45 g egg yolks
¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Add the milk and heavy cream to a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until fully combined and slightly lightened.
Add the dark chocolate to a separate heatproof bowl.
Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the yolks.
Pour everything back into the saucepan.
Place over medium heat and whisk constantly until the custard thickens. It may look slightly curdled as it thickens, but keep whisking.
Place a sieve over the bowl with the dark chocolate and pour the hot custard through it. This step gives the crémeux a smooth, creamy texture.
Whisk the custard into the chocolate until thick, glossy, and fully combined.
Pour the chocolate crémeux into the cooled cookie crust.
Chill in the fridge for 2–3 hours, or until firm.
Mascarpone Whip
Ingredients
80 g mascarpone
20 g powdered sugar
130 g heavy cream
Pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
Place the mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
Add the mascarpone, icing sugar, salt, and vanilla if using to the chilled bowl.
Whisk until smooth.
Add the heavy cream and whip until thick, soft, and pipeable. Be careful not to overwhip.
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with your desired tip.
Salted Caramel
Ingredients
155 g granulated sugar
60 g unsalted butter, room temperature
90 g heavy cream, warm
½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
Instructions
Add the sugar to a saucepan over medium heat.
Let it melt, stirring occasionally, until it turns amber.
Carefully add the butter and whisk until combined. It will bubble.
Slowly pour in the warm cream while whisking constantly.
Let the caramel bubble for about 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in the salt.
Let cool until thick but still spoonable.
Assemble
Once the chocolate crémeux is fully set, lightly score the top of the pie where you want to cut your slices. This helps guide where to pipe the mascarpone dollops.
Pipe dollops of mascarpone whip around the pie.
Fill the spaces between the dollops with salted caramel.
Chill until ready to serve.
Notes
For the cleanest slices, chill the pie fully before cutting and use a sharp knife wiped clean between slices.
This pie is best served cold. The crust stays crisp, the chocolate crémeux is silky and rich, and the mascarpone whip keeps everything light enough to go back for another slice.
Faqs
Can I make the caramel ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the salted caramel in advance. Store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator and warm it slightly until it becomes spoonable before assembling the pie.
What should I do if my crémeux looks curdled while cooking?
Keep whisking constantly over medium heat. The mixture may look slightly separated as it thickens, but pouring it through a sieve over the chocolate and whisking it thoroughly will make it thick, smooth, and glossy.
How do I prevent the mascarpone whip from separating?
Be very careful not to overwhip the mixture. Whisk the mascarpone, sugar, and flavorings until just smooth first, then add the heavy cream and watch it closely, stopping as soon as it becomes thick and pipeable.
Show Me Your Work
I love seeing your beautiful bakes! If you try making this Chocolate Pie, please share your creations and tag@sashacakeschicago on Instagram so I can see your stunning results!
If you loved the results of this elegant Chocolate Pie, you will find even more inspiration in my Fantastic Pastry Cookies ebook. This guide is curated specifically for the home baker who wants to master unique textures and sophisticated flavor combinations—like that silky dark chocolate crémeux and salted caramel—right in their own kitchen. 🍰✨
Download the Fantastic Pastry Cookies Ebook Here
Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—thank you for supporting my baking projects!
Chocolate Pie with Chocolate Crémeux, Mascarpone Whip & Salted Caramel
This chocolate pie is a keeper. It has a crisp chocolate cookie crust, a silky dark chocolate crémeux filling, fluffy mascarpone whip, and little pools of salted caramel on top.
It’s rich, creamy, chocolatey, and so elegant without being overly complicated. The texture is the best part — crisp crust, smooth custard, soft whip, and that caramel finish. I hope you love it.
Ingredients
- 220 g chocolate cookie crumbs
- If using Oreos, remove the cream before crushing
- 30 g granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 58 g unsalted butter, melted
- 120 g dark chocolate
- 120 g whole milk
- 120 g heavy cream
- 28 g granulated sugar
- 45 g egg yolks
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 80 g mascarpone
- 20 g powdered sugar
- 130 g heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract, optional
- 155 g granulated sugar
- 60 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 90 g heavy cream, warm
- ½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar, and salt.
- Pour in the melted butter and mix until a moistened crumb forms.
- Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch tart pan.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before filling.
- Add the milk and heavy cream to a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
- In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until fully combined and slightly lightened.
- Add the dark chocolate to a separate heatproof bowl.
- Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the yolks.
- Pour everything back into the saucepan.
- Place over medium heat and whisk constantly until the custard thickens. It may look slightly curdled as it thickens, but keep whisking.
- Place a sieve over the bowl with the dark chocolate and pour the hot custard through it. This step gives the crémeux a smooth, creamy texture.
- Whisk the custard into the chocolate until thick, glossy, and fully combined.
- Pour the chocolate crémeux into the cooled cookie crust.
- Chill in the fridge for 2–3 hours, or until firm.
- Place the mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Add the mascarpone, icing sugar, salt, and vanilla if using to the chilled bowl.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Add the heavy cream and whip until thick, soft, and pipeable. Be careful not to overwhip.
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with your desired tip.
- Add the sugar to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Let it melt, stirring occasionally, until it turns amber.
- Carefully add the butter and whisk until combined. It will bubble.
- Slowly pour in the warm cream while whisking constantly.
- Let the caramel bubble for about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in the salt.
- Let cool until thick but still spoonable.
- Once the chocolate crémeux is fully set, lightly score the top of the pie where you want to cut your slices. This helps guide where to pipe the mascarpone dollops.
- Pipe dollops of mascarpone whip around the pie.
- Fill the spaces between the dollops with salted caramel.
- Chill until ready to serve.
Notes
For the cleanest slices, chill the pie fully before cutting and use a sharp knife wiped clean between slices.
This pie is best served cold. The crust stays crisp, the chocolate crémeux is silky and rich, and the mascarpone whip keeps everything light enough to go back for another slice.
