Stars in my Pie

Happy Pi Day (yesterday)! This is probably my favorite thing I've made this year, so go make it yourself and ENJOY.

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Crust

3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 tsp flour

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

scant 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pudding Layer (from Smitten Kitchen)

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup sugar

3 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups whole milk (or use 1/2 cup cream and 2 1/2 cups skim like me)

4 oz bittersweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped

1 tsp vanilla

Whipped Cream Layer

1 cup heavy cream

2 TBSP sugar

First, the crust.

1. Melt the butter while you combine the rest. Stir in the butter. Press firmly into a pie dish and bake at 325 F for 10 minutes.

Then, the pudding.

1. Whisk together the cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it starts to boil. This will take a while. Keep on whiskin'! Whisk as it boils for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk in the chocolate pieces and vanilla. Pour into the pre-baked crust.

Just before serving.

1. Chill a metal bowl.

2. Pour in the cream and sprinkle the sugar on top. Beat until the whipped cream holds peaks. Use a rubber spatula to shape the cream attractively on top of the pudding layer.

And if you want...

Shave curls of chocolate on the whipped cream. You might enjoy melting chocolate on a double boiler (or a metal bowl over simmering water) and squeezing it through a hole in a plastic bag onto parchment to make shapes. Chill in the fridge for 1/2 an hour and you too can have stars in your pie! Or spell out Happy Pi Day. Or whatever.