I love summer because it's the season of laid-back, easy-going outdoor entertaining. In the summer, it's perfectly acceptable to call friends up the day before and say bring your kids, a cooler of beverages, and a potluck item (sometimes even your own lawn chairs!), and come hang out by the pool, beach, or in the backyard for the day. I LOVE these kinds of invitations and have many go-to recipes that are perfect for summer barbecues, including this Frozen Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe, which just happens to be one of my husband's favourite desserts.
Simply make (or buy) a graham crust.
Press into a pie plate.
TIP: Use the back of a tablespoon to flatten the edges.
Beat sugar and cream cheese.
Melt the chocolate and milk together.
Mix in chocolate.
Add the Cool Whip and stir until combined.
Fill your pie crust.
Drizzle with more melted chocolate, if desired, then freeze and enjoy!
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
OR simply buy a pre-made graham crust available in the baking aisle.
Pie:
1 cup milk chocolate chips (you can use semi-sweet, but my family prefers milk chocolate)
1/3 cup milk (I use skim)
2 tbsp. sugar
125g cream cheese, softened
3/4 of a 1L container of Cool Whip (I just eye-ball it), thawed
2 tbsp. milk chocolate chips for top of pie (optional)
Directions:
Combine graham crumbs and melted butter.
Press firmly into prepared pie plate (ie: buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray). NOTE: Feel free to do the bottom and sides, or just the bottom of the pie plate—whatever you prefer!
In mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer until combined.
Melt chocolate and milk together—careful not to burn (see below for chocolate melting tip).
Add chocolate to cream cheese mixture and mix with electric mixer until combined.
Stir in Cool Whip.
Put filling into pie crust, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.
Optional: Before freezing, melt 2 tbsp of milk chocolate chips and drizzle over top of pie using a fork.
TIP: To melt chocolate in the microwave, set power to 50% and melt for 1 minute. Remove chocolate, stir, then melt again in microwave at 50% power in 30 second intervals. Remove from microwave when chocolate is almost melted (but you can still see the shapes of some of the chocolate chips). Stir gently until all chocolate is melted, and use as desired.
BONUS: Looking for some of my other favourite summer potluck recipes? Check out my Traditional Potato Salad (just like my Grandma makes), my Loaded Baked Potato Salad, my Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake, my Oreo Brownie Cake Bars, and, of course, my super easy Pitcher Mojitos.
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