Black-Bottom Raspberry Cream Pie

This pie has everything you need for a wonderful eating experience:  A delicious creamy chocolate pudding atop a to-die for chocolate cookie crust, then topped with fresh summer raspberries and whipped cream. I found these lovely fresh black and red raspberries at my local farm stand.  The tastes of chocolate with the raspberries and cream are like a dance of happiness in your mouth.  It does take some time to make, the pudding needs to set overnight in the crust before the topping is added, so start it the day before, trust me it will be worth it.

Recipe:
Crust:  Spray a 9" glass pie dish with baking spray. 
In a food processor crush a 9 oz package of chocolate wafer cookies, and 1 stick + 1/3 Tbsps melted unsalted butter and 1/4 cup sugar until blended.  Press mixture evenly over bottom and up of sides (not on rim) of prepared pie dish.  Chill crust for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10 mins then remove from oven and let cool.
Filling:  1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa, 2 Tbsps cornstarch,  2 1/2 cups whole milk, divided, 2 large egg yolks, 1 large egg, 4 oz bittersweet chocolate baking chips, 2 Tbsps unsalted butter.  Combine sugar, cocoa and cornstarch in heavy med saucepan; whisk to blend well.  Gradually add 1/4 cup of the milk, whisking until cornstarch dissolves.  Whisk in remaining 2 1/14 cups milk, then eggs.  Turn heat on to med-high, heating and stirring constantly until pudding thickens and boils, about 8 mins.  Remove from the heat and add chocolate chips and butter, whish until melted and smooth.  Spread pudding into prepared crust.  Press plastic wrap onto pudding to cover and chill pie overnight.
Topping:  3 pints fresh raspberries - red or a combination of red and black,  1 cup chilled whipping cream, 2 Tbsps powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract.  Peel plastic wrap off pie.  Cover chocolate pudding with raspberries, pointed side up, pressing lightly into chocolate to adhere.  Beat cream, sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment on high until peaks form, spread whipped cream over berries on pie.  Arrange remaining berries atop cream.  Chill pie for at least 1 hour or several hours before serving.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine July 2004

It doesn't have to look perfect to taste perfectly delicious 

 

Enjoy!