Chocolate Cream Pie

The result of warm weather, a picnic, limited pie-prep time, and a love of chocolate. This is a mild, milk-chocolate-pudding-style pie, with a salty crushed-Nilla-wafer crust and topped with bourbon-flavored whipped cream.

First, the recipe (from the United States of Pie, with my additions/comments in purple):

Vanilla Wafer Crust

• 1&1/3 cups (6 oz) vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl mix the wafer crumbs (which I made by emptying 2/3 of a box of Nilla wafers into a food processor, then pulsing repeatedly), salt, and butter, until the mixture is evenly moistened and the crumbs have darkened slightly and started to clump together. Pour the mixture into a pie plate. Using your hands, press and flatten the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the plate, working it up to cover the sides as well. Press firmly; there should be no cracks or holes in the crust. (Yeah, right!)
3. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the crust is beginning to brown at the edges.

Filling

• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (next time I might try unsweetened, as this was a pretty mellow chocolate flavor all in all)
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

• cup of heavy cream
• splash of vanilla
• slug of bourbon (to taste)
• 3 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1. Combine the cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, and 1 cup of milk in a medium saucepan and whisk until fairly smooth. Add egg yolks and the remaining 1 cup milk and whisk to incorporate.
2. Place the saucepan over medium heat, and, whisking constantly, bring to a boil. As soon as it reaches a boil, remove from heat. The mixture should have thickened to a puddinglike consistency that's still somewhat runny. (It will thicken considerably as it cools). (I wish I'd cooked this slightly longer- mine didn't quite thicken as much as I'd have liked)
3. Pour the pudding into a heatproof bow. Add the chocolate, butter and vanilla, and stir until the chocolate has melted. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming, and allow it to cool to room temperature. The filling can be prepared up to a day in advance.
4. Pour the cooled pudding into the prepared crust, and refrigerate the pie until you're ready to serve.
5. Just before you serve the pie, combine the cream and confectioner's sugar in a medium bowl and use an electric mixer to whip it. (Slosh in a shot or two of bourbon, if desired, and a small splash of vanilla).
6. Shave some chocolate shavings on top to prettify things. (I totally forgot this step. Oh well.)

Now, the pictures!

Crumbs and butter:

In the pie pan:

Heating the chocolate:

Whisking!

Chopped chocolate. What a wonderful thing.

Puddin':

Mixing in the chocolate and butter:

The chilled crust:

Putting it all together:

Ready to go to a picnic!

A slice, with whipped cream on top:

More to come soon!