Chocolate Cream Pie

Crust

1 1/3 C chocolate wafer crumbs

5 T unsalted butter, melted

1/4 C sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Stir ingredients together and press in bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes, and cool on a rack.

Filling

2/3 C sugar

1/4 C cornstarch

1/2 t salt

4 large egg yolks

3 C whole milk

5 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted

2 0z unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 T unsalted butter, softened

1 t vanilla

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, and yolks in a 3 qt. heavy saucepan until combined well, then add milk in a stream, whisking. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 1 minute (filling will be thick).

Whisk in chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Cover surface with a buttered round of wax paper and cool completely, about 2 hours.

Spoon filling into crust and chill pie, loosely covered about 6 hours.

Topping

3/4 C chilled heavy cream

1 T sugar

Just before serving beat cream with sugar until it holds stiff peaks, then spoon on top of pie.