A perfectly peppermint flavored take on Julia Child’s classic Bavarian Cream piled onto chocolate cookie crust.
Peppermint and chocolate go together like peanut butter and jelly in my opinion. These flavors scream winter to me. We enjoyed this pie over Christmas Eve for dessert, but it would also make a delicious addition to any wintery feast or even a Valentine’s dinner. If you are unfamiliar with Bavarian Cream, it is a custard based dessert made with gelatin giving it a completely mold-able texture – a cross between typical custard cream and jello – meaning it will hold a shape on it’s own and does not necessitate a crust. However, I felt this particular Bavarian Cream would be made better in a chocolate wafer crust and was not let down at all.
Peppermint Bavarian Cream Pie
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Crust:
- 25 chocolate wafer oreo cookies
- 5 Tbsp melted butter
Bavarian Cream Filling:
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup water
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 1/2 Tbsp gelatin
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 5 egg whites
- pinch of salt
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream + 1 cup chilled
- 1 Tbsp creme de menthe peppermint liqueur
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Peppermints crushed and whole
Instructions
Crust:
- Pulse cookies in food processor. Mix with melted butter in medium bowl. Press into a 9 inch pie plate with the back of a spoon and refrigerate.
Bavarian Cream filling:
- Combine water and peppermint extract. Sprinkle gelatin over mixture and set aside to soften.
- Beat egg yolks and sugar for 2-3 minutes until mixture is pale yellow and forms the ribbon. Beat in cornstarch.
- Bring milk to a boil over medium heat (slowly) ensuring it does not burn.
- Beat the milk by droplets into the egg yolks. Pour back into sauce pan and set over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens enough to coat spoon lightly (170 degrees). Be careful not to overheat or cook too quickly and risk scrambling the eggs. Remove from heat and add gelatin, stirring to dissolve completely.
- Beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into custard.
- Set mixture over a bowl of ice and fold delicately with spatula often while it is cooling to prevent separation.
- Meanwhile, beat 1/2 cup heavy cream until doubled in volume. Add creme de menthe. Fold into completely cold custard.
- Spoon over crust. Set in fridge to firm up.
- Beat remaining 1 cup of heavy cream, tablespoon of sugar, and vanilla until medium peaks form (not too stiff or it will not pipe well). Pipe onto set pie and top with peppermints.
It’s so pretty!