The perfect pie! It's made with a tender, flaky blind baked pie crust, a thick and perfectly chocolatey custard pudding filling, then it's mounded high with billowy whipped cream and garnished with thin and curly chocolate shavings.
For the pie crust: Prepare and bake the pie crust as directed. Let it cool completely.
For the pie filling: Place chopped chocolate and butter in a large mixing bowl, pour in 2 tsp vanilla. Set a large sieve over the bowl and set aside.
In a 3 quart saucepan whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, the cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt until well blended.
Whisk in egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the milk until well combined. Mix in the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk.
Set mixture over medium heat and cook whisking constantly (don't forget to scrape along the bottom corners of the pan while whisking) until mixture boils (bubbles should be over the top surface not just the edges). Let boil 1 minute while whisking constantly.
Pour the mixture into sieve set over chocolate mixture, then press with a silicone spatula against sieve to remove lumps.
Stir stained mixture with the chocolate and butter mixture until everything is melted.
Pour into pie crust then spread into an even layer. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with non-stick cooking spray and press it against the surface of the pudding mixture (don't wrap snug around the pie or you'll steam and soften the crust up some, just loosely drape over crust).
Transfer to the fridge and chill at least 4 hours to let it cool and set.
For the topping*: Pour the cream in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar and the vanilla.
Using an electric hand mixer whip the mixture on high speed until very stiff peaks form.
Spread over the chocolate cream filling. If desired garnish with chocolate shavings** or dust with cocoa powder. Cut into slices just as serving.
Keep pie stored in the fridge.
Notes
*Wait to make and add the whipped cream to the pie until you are almost ready **For the chocolate shavings I just take about a 1 1/2-inch piece of a chocolate bar, heat it in the microwave for about 10 seconds then shave off the edge with a vegetable peeler.
Nutrition estimate includes crust, filling and whipped topping.