Yes, the title is a mouthful, but once the chocolate stout pudding pie hits your lips, you will just be saying “give me more!” The crust is made from crushed pretzels with just enough butter to hold them together, providing a salty contrast to the chocolate pudding filling made with stout – we like Guinness – along with chocolate, cocoa and cream. More cream on the top is whipped, lightly sweetened and flavored with Jameson whiskey. This is an adult pie, suitable for St. Patrick’s Day, but feel free to whip it up anytime you want a spirited, chocolate dessert.
- 1¼ cups finely crushed pretzels
- 3 tablepsoons sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup sifted natural cocoa
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch salt
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup stout, such as Guinness
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (55% to 61%) such as Valrhona Extra Bitter or Callebaut semisweet or bittersweet, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons Jameson Irish Whiskey
- Extra crushed pretzels or chocolate shavings (optional)
- For the Crust: Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat the rim of a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray. Toss together the pretzel crumbs and sugar until combined in a mixing bowl, then stir in melted butter until combined. Pour into prepared pan and press into an even layer, creating a high and thick rim. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes until just beginning to color. Cool completely on rack.
- For the Filling: Whisk together the cocoa, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Whisk in stout and cream. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 1 minute, whisking frequently until thickened. Add chocolate and whisk frequently for about 1 minute more until chocolate melts and the pudding is thick and smooth. The pudding should be thick enough to leave whisk marks in the surface. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla, then immediately pour into the prepared pie crust. Cool until almost room temperature, then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight until set.
- For the Topping: Just before serving, beat the cream and sugar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in whiskey until cream holds peaks, then spread on top of chilled pie. Garnish with bits of pretzel or chocolate shavings, if desired, and serve. Leftovers may be refrigerated overnight in an airtight container.

Bakepedia Tips
- Note that the crust is rather generous because I like to have the crunch to contrast with the rest, which is so creamy. Feel free to reduce those ingredients to 1 cup pretzel crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and 6 tablespoons of butter if you would like less crust.
- If you have a saucepan with a rounded bottom, it will make whisking the pudding much easier.
Images: Dédé Wilson
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