CEiMB: Double Chocolate Pudding Pie

I’m a bit behind on my posting of my Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe this week … the small amount of computer time I can eke out while visiting family and old friends goes rapidly just by checking and answering the most important e-mails.

This week’s recipe, picked by Tessa of Handle the Heat, is not only a dessert recipe, but one that just might make a great new addition to the Gringo Perdido menu … so I was looking forward to making it and trying it. I read other comments saying that there weren’t enough graham crackers in the recipe, so I upped them from 14 to 20. Then, I missed the instruction to bake the crust for 10 minutes :>( which resulted in a slightly gummy crust, but it was still very edible. I also used 2% milk since that is what Mom had in the refrigerator, and besides, I’m not convinced that cutting back so far on fats is necessary for good health or weight loss.

Double Chocolate Pudding Pie
From The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger

Ingredients:

14 graham cracker squares (7 full sheets)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup boiling water
2/3 cup sugar, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups 1 percent low-fat milk
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

In a food processor, process the graham crackers until finely ground. Add butter and water and process until the crumbs clump together. Press the crumb mixture into bottom of pie plate and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool.

In the meantime, make the pudding. Put the gelatin in a small bowl, add the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan mix the 2/3 cup of sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt.

Gradually add half of the milk, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the rest of the milk. Turn the heat on to medium and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted.

Stir in the vanilla and reserved gelatin.

Pour the mixture into the pie crust and let set for 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Whip the cream and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Before serving, garnish the pie with the whipped cream.

Verdict:

It was excellent … a rich creamy chocolate pudding flavor! I think that I could actually cut down a bit further on the sugar and use coconut milk in place of at least part of the regular milk … an experiment I plan to try when I return to Guatemala. And the next time, I will remember to bake the crust first!

For more information about Craving Ellie in My Belly or to see the other Double Chocolate Pudding Pie creations, go here.