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Chocolate Cream Pie

Servings: 8-10
Comments:
This festive chocolate cream pie would be lovely to serve at any special occasion, or for a very delicious dessert for Thanksgivng or Christmas.


Ingredients:
For Crust:
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 wafers), OR use your own regular pie crust (frozen or homemade)
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar

For Filling:
5 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 large egg yolks
4 1/2 cups milk (do not substitute with cream)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits and softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For Whipped Cream Topping:
1 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
Grated bittersweet chocolate for garnish


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

For The Crust:
In a bowl stir together crumbs, butter, and sugar and press on bottom and side of a 10-inch (1 1/2-quart) pie plate. Bake crust in middle of oven until crisp, 15 to 20 minutes, and cool on a rack.

Make The Filling:
In a metal bowl set over barely simmering water melt chocolates, stirring, until smooth and remove bowl from heat. In a heavy saucepan (about 3 quarts) whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks until combined well and add milk in a stream, whisking. Bring milk mixture to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, and simmer, whisking, until thick, about 1 minute. Force custard through a fine sieve into a bowl and whisk in melted chocolate, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap and cool completely.

Pour filling into crust and chill pie, covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.

For The Whipped Cream Topping:
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream to soft peaks. Beat in sugar and beat cream just to stiff peaks. Spoon whipped cream decoratively onto pie and sprinkle with grated chocolate.

Makes 8-10 servings


Source: DianasDesserts.com
Date: November 27, 2002