CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE WITH COOKIE CRUMB CRUST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Have a 9 inch pie plate ready.
• Crust: Mix cookie crumbs, sugar and vanilla in a bowl.
• Stir in melted butter until crumbs are evenly coated.
• Press evenly over bottom and up sides of pie plate.
• Bake 8 minutes or until set.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Filling: Mix sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a medium size saucepan.
• Whisk in 1 cup of the milk until smooth.
• (Make sure whisk reaches inside bottom edges of saucepan.) Whisk in remaining 2 cups milk.
• Bring to a gentle boil and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 9-10 minutes until thick.
• Remove from heat.
• Whisk egg yolks in a medium size bowl.
• Whisking constantly, gradually add about 2 cups hot-milk mixture to yolks.
• Pour this back into saucepan and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until slightly thicker.
• Remove from heat.
• Add chocolate, butter and vanilla and stir until chocolate and butter melt.
• Pour into a bowl.
• Place plastic wrap or waxed paper directly on surface to prevent skin from forming.
• Let cool about 30 minutes.
• Stir filling, then pour into prepared crust.
• Cover as before and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle by stirring it through a strainer.