Chocolate Cream Pie

Recipe by Anna Magazine.

This is my kind of pie.  Forget the fruit, load it with creamy chocolate and whip cream! And you have to make the filling from scratch, it's just so much better than the bought stuff.  So, take the time and treat yourself to chocolate pudding, grown up style.

What you'll need

Filling:

2/3 cup Sugar

1/2 cup All-purpose flour

1/2 tsp Salt

2 cups Milk

3 Egg yolks, slightly beaten

6 tbsp Cocoa

2 tbsp Butter, melted

2 tsp Vanilla

Pastry:

1 cup All-purpose flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1/3 cup Vegetable shortening, chilled

2 tbsp Water

Cream:

2 cups Heavy whipping cream

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 cup Icing sugar, sifted

How to

1.  Preheat oven to 450°F.  Coat a 9-inch spring form pan with butter.  

2.  Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl.  Cut shortening into flour mixture with pastry blender (or your finger tips) and blend until it is grainy and pea size.  Blend water lightly into the dough.  Lift ingredients with a fork, allowing the moisture to incorporate.  If needed, add one additional tsp water. Gather dough into tidy ball and stop handling.  Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  

3.  Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and press into pan.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.  Remove and set aside.

4.  In a double boiler over medium to high heat, combine sugar, flour and salt.  Gradually whisk in small amount of the milk until incorporated, stir and cook for about 10 minutes until boiling point.  Remove from heat.

5.  Slowly whisk in slightly beaten egg yolks and continue to cook until thickened.  Remove from heat.  In a small bowl mix cocoa, melted butter and vanilla.  Whisk into flour, sugar mixture until well incorporated.  Cool slightly before pouring into the baked crust.  Chill completely.

6.  Place the whipping cream into a bowl and mix on high until thickened.  Add vanilla and icing sugar and incorporate with a spatula, then continue to beat on high until thick peaks begin to form.  Be careful not to over beat.  Spoon cream over pie.  Serves 8.