S’mores Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups whole milk
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 9-inch prepared graham cracker crust, store-bought or homemade
• 26 marshmallows
• Semisweet chocolate shavings, optional
• Broken graham cracker pieces, optional

Directions

1. In a medium bowl that can go in the microwave, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt with a whisk until the dry ingredients look even. Pour in 1/2 cup of the milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth, then whisk in the egg yolks. Add the rest of the milk a little at a time, stirring as you go.
2. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, a paper towel, or a plate turned slightly off-center so steam has a way out. Cook on high in the microwave for 3 minutes. Take the bowl out, remove the cover, and whisk well so the heat moves through the pudding evenly.
3. Cover the bowl loosely again and microwave for 2 more minutes, then take it out and whisk once more. After that, keep microwaving in 30-second bursts, whisking after each one.
4. Somewhere between 5 and 6 minutes, the pudding should begin to thicken a bit. It is done when bubbles appear around the sides and the whisk can draw a soft trail through the mixture.
5. Do not worry if it still looks slightly loose; it will continue to set as it cools. The full microwave time should land at 6 to 8 minutes. For reference, one microwave took 7 minutes 30 seconds. Add the chocolate, butter, and vanilla to the hot pudding, then whisk until everything has melted in and the filling is smooth.
6. Pour the chocolate filling into the prepared graham cracker pie crust. Leave it at room temperature for 1 hour to cool, then move it to the refrigerator and chill it uncovered for at least 4 hours, or as long as overnight, until it has set.
7. Once the pie is fully chilled, the filling should not wobble, and a paring knife slipped into the center should come out with only a small amount of chocolate on it rather than a gooey coating. If the surface has cracked a little, that is fine; the marshmallows will cover it.
8. Arrange the marshmallows over the cold pie. Set the pie on a baking sheet and slide it under the broiler until the tops are lightly toasted, about 45 seconds. A kitchen torch works too.
9. If using them, scatter crumbled graham crackers and chocolate shavings over the top. Slice and serve, cutting between the marshmallows for the neatest pieces.