Regardless of pudding memories good, bad, or indifferent, almost everyone likes this pie—a sleek chocolate pudding in a crisp crust. Make a crustless version if you want by pouring the filling into an oiled pie plate. To serve, cut the filling into wedges and have it with chocolate chip cookies, shortbread, or sugar cookies.
Makes one 9-inch pie
Basic All-American Pie Dough for a 9-inch pie shell (page 20)
3 cups milk or evaporated milk
4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate, broken into 6 or 8 pieces
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
¼ cup unsalted (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped Cream (page 39)
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out the dough and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim and flute the edges, then bake the pie shell fully, following the instructions on page 22. Cool completely before filling.
Combine the milk and chocolate in a medium saucepan. Place over moderate heat and whisk frequently for about 4 minutes, or until the chocolate is melted. Don’t worry if the mixture looks speckled and grainy; it will become smooth later.
In the meantime, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and whisk them together until evenly mixed. Continue whisking as you add the chocolate milk in a steady, continuous stream. Add the egg yolks and whisk vigorously until blended.
Cook over moderate heat, whisking almost constantly, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and boil gently for about 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat, add the butter, and stir until smooth. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (to keep a skin from forming) and cool for 30 minutes.
Remove the plastic wrap and stir in the vanilla. Pour the pudding into the prepared pie shell and place another sheet of plastic wrap over it. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until chilled and firm.
Before serving, prepare the whipped cream and spread it over the pie.