Chocolate Icebox Pie

CHOCOLATE ICEBOX PIE FROM SUGAR PIES

So, there's not better time to enjoy cold treats! Although this is an "icebox" pie it does require a bit of cooking. Much like the pudding bases for lemon meringues and other pies what you're actually making is a chocolate pudding for the base of this pie. This is then refrigerated along with cold homemade whipped cream, some chocolate chunks and pecans for decoration.

The taste is fabulous. It's creamy but with some substance to it. In the version I made I used half white chocolate and half semi-sweet chocolate. If you want to do this version just keep the white and dark chocolate separate and put half of your other ingredients in each. For the final boil, I started with the white chocolate then poured that into my shell and finished off with the dark chocolate using the same pot and poured that into the shell over the white chocolate filling.

1 6oz. ready made pie crust (either chocolate crumb, graham cracker or shortbread)
2/3 cup cream
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup cold water
2 tbs. corn starch
1 14oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbs. butter
1/2 cup pecan halves or chopped pecans
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1-2 oz. chocolate candy chopped into small chunks

If desired, pre-bake pie shell according to package instructions.

Cook milk in heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until bubbles form. Do NOT boil! This should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until melted. Allow to cool about 5 minutes.

Stir together 1/4 cup cold water and cornstarch until dissolved. Whisk cornstarch mixture, condensed milk, eggs, and vanilla into chocolate mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute or until thickened and is smooth. Do not overcook the mixture.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted. Pour mixture into pie shell. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours.

To toast pecans:

Preheat oven to 350° and place pecans in single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until fragrant and toasted. Remove from oven and cool completely for at least 30 minutes.

Whipped Cream:

Place 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream in chilled bowl. Beat with electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment until frothy. Slowly add 1/4 cup sugar, beating at high speed until soft peaks form.

Mound whipped cream on center of chilled pie. Chop chocolate bar into small chunks and sprinkle over whipped cream. Sprinkle toasted pecans around edges of pie. Return to refrigerator to chill and serve very cold.

Source:   http://www.sugarpiesfood.com/2010/06/chocolate-icebox-pie.html