I had been feeling a bit down. Not the stay-on-the-couch-all-day kind of down, but a mild funk. A funk brought on by the end of the summer? A breakup with a friend? The discovery that certain pants don’t fit the way they did last fall? A combination of all three? Who knows. I just hoped it was the type of gloominess that could be cured with a chocolate pie, a chocolate pudding pie with cream on top.
I wanted my mother’s recipe, but she was out of reach for the weekend, so I called my sister Emily. No, she did not have mom’s recipe. She had an even better one, she claimed. And that’s how I wound up making a punch-you-in-the-face-with-chocolate pie. Unlike my mother’s recipe that calls for 3 oz of chocolate, Emily’s demanded 6 oz. The result was one of dense, creamy darkness that had me clutching my stomach in defeat long before I finished the slice on my plate. It was delicious, but a powerful weapon that should only be brought out in the direst of circumstances. Did it cure my funk? Absolutely. Will I make it again? Hell yes, and then I’ll serve it to those who need some powerful healing.
6 Tbls cornstarch
1 Cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 Cups whole milk
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 baked pie shell
Combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a double boiler over medium heat. Slowly whisk in milk, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate all the dry ingredients. Stir continually for 15-20 mins, and once the mixture coats the spoon, add the chocolate. Stir 2-4 mins until the pudding is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and pour into the pie shell.
