Chocolate Cream Pie with a Gingersnap Crust

From Nana to Nora. Growing up,  chocolate cream pie was my Nana’s signature dessert. I actually can’t even remember having another dessert at my Nana and Papa’s house. To this day, every time I see chocolate cream pie I think of her. Now, she used jello-pudding and cool-whip and I used Ghirardelli and heavy cream but it’s the thought that counts.Chocolate Cream Pie with a Ginger Snap Crust and Orange Whipped Cream

Looks good. Tastes better! Who wants to cook?First things first, let’s make the easiest crust in the world. 2-ingredients. 12-minutes in the oven.Take about 30 Gingersnaps, 6 TBS of melted butter and a pinch of salt.WHIRLLLL! Press evenly in a greased 9-inch pie dish and bake until golden ~12 minutes at 350.Now for the filling. Gather 1/4 cup corn starch, 1/3cup sugar, 3 TBS good cocoa powder, pinch of salt, 4-oz chopped chocolate, 3 cups of milk and 1 tsp vanilla. Kitten not included.In a medium sauce pan, whisk together the corn starch, sugar, cocoa and salt.Gradually whisk in 3 cups of milk. Over a medium heat, constantly whisk until it comes to a boil and thickens.  This was my workout for the day.Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate and 1 tsp vanilla extract.Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell. Go ahead. lick the remains out of the pot. I did. I had to make sure it tasted okay!When all is said and done, please, PLEASE make your own whipped cream for the top. I used a little fresh orange juice and zest for extra yum.

Chocolate Cream Pie with a Ginger Snap Crust (serves

For The Crust:

• 30 Gingersnap cookies
• 6 TBS unsalted butter, melted
• pinch of salt

For The Filling:

• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 TBS good quality cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 cups milk (I used 2% but
• 4-oz 60% bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Orange Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 TBS powdered sugar
• 4 TBS fresh squeezed orange juice
• 2 tsp orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 35o degrees and coat a 9-inch pie dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Add 30 gingersnaps, a pinch of salt and 3/4 of a stick of melted butter to a processor until fine. Press into pie plate and bake for 10-15 minutes until set.
3. In a medium sauce pan whisk together corn starch, sugar, cocoa powder and salt.
4. Gradually whisk in milk. Over a medium heat bring to a bowl, continuously whisking until thick.
5. Remove pan from heat. Stir in chocolate and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour into cooled pie crust and allow to chill at least 3 hours.
6. Garnish with whipped cream and orange slices.

Enjoy!

Nora