This month’s Saveur Magazine highlights 100 culinary food finds, found and inspired by readers.  Check it out – I contributed the idea for CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE.

The recipe that they printed is not my original.  Mine is below, inspired by my grandmother’s recipe, it has been an item that has appeared on every holiday table our family has ever shared.  Simple ingredients turned into something decadent and delicious, this pie embodies my culinary philosophy of creating memorable desserts from quality ingredients and I have had much fun putting it on my menus.

ENJOY!!!

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

Yield: One 9 inch pie

For the crust:

11/2 cups AP flour

2 Tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt (preferably kosher)

1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cut into 8 pieces

2 Tbsp shortening (feel free to use all butter)

About 5 Tbsp of ice water

Gather everything but the water in a bowl and place in fridge for 10 minutes to cool all ingredients.

Remove from fridge and place everything in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse till it looks like course meal, and butter is fully incorporated.  While running add water 1 Tbsp at a time.  After it is all added, stop and pulse until the dough comes together, it will not be one solid mass but a few cohesive chunks with some crumbs.  Turn out onto counter, gather into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. (Make sure not to handle or knead the dough too much).  Refrigerate for a half hour.

Remove from fridge and let warm on counter for 5 minutes.  Unwrap and place on well floured surface, roll the dough out into a circle big enough so that there is about 2 inches of crust extending beyond your pie plate when placed in the middle.  Fold in half and transfer to pie plate.  Trim so edges are even and about 1 – 1 ½ inches over the edge.  Fold under and pinch and then crimp edge in a decorative design.  Return to the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Pre-heat oven for 375.

Remove from fridge.  Line with a square of parchment and full with baking beans.  Bake for 20 min until the edges begin to brown.  Remove the beans and parchment and return to oven for another 10 min to completely bake the crust to a nice golden color.  Let cool.

For the filling:

8 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate (60% or darker)

2 cup whole milk

1/3 cup sugar

3 Tbsp cornstarch

pinch of salt

4 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups heavy cream

Place chocolate in a double boiler and melt. (If using block chocolate chop so that it melts easily).

While it cools a little, bring milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Whisk together yolks, sugar, salt and cornstarch together right before you temper in the milk.  Temper in the hot milk a little at a time, whisking continuously.  Return mixture to the pot, whisking constantly bring to a boil over medium –low heat (a few big bubbles will raise to the top). Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and vanilla.  Pass through a strainer into a bowl.  Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and chill for at least 5 hours or overnight.

When filling is cold, spoon into cooked pie crust and spread evenly.  Whip 1 ½ cups of heavy cream with 2 tbsp sugar and generously cover pie, if desired top with chocolate curls.