Chocolate Mud Pie

Ingredients

• 12 ounces chocolate wafter cookies, ground to crumbs in food processor
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• 4 ounces granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 16 ounces whole milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 6 ounces chilled heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Directions

1. Measure out 2 ounces of the cookie crumbs and reserve them for finishing. Mix the rest of the crumbs with the butter in a bowl, then pack the mixture firmly across the bottom and along the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Transfer the crust to the freezer for 30 minutes.
2. Combine the sugar, corn starch, and salt in a medium sized bowl, using a whisk to blend them. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then add them to the dry mixture and whisk until the mixture turns light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Put it aside.
3. Warm the milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it reaches a gentle boil. As soon as it starts to boil, take the pan off the heat. To temper the egg mixture, slowly whisk a small splash of the hot milk into it, then continue adding the milk gradually and whisking until all of it has been incorporated. Pour everything back into the saucepan and set it over low heat. Whisk without stopping as it cooks and starts to thicken, about 3 minutes. Keep whisking; when bubbles appear, cook and whisk for 2 additional minutes, then pull it from the heat. Add the chocolate and whisk until the filling is uniform, then pour it into the chilled pie shell. Lay plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate for 8 hours so it can set. Before serving, add the whipped cream and scatter the reserved cookie crumbs over the top.