Chocolate Cream Pie

Thanksgiving is around the corner, so I thought I should post my favorite pie recipe!  When we spend Thanksgiving with the Nelsons, I make the pies, and the chocolate is always the favorite.  It is, of course, my mom's recipe.  But in Washington, I take all the credit for this one.  :) 

Heat in a saucepan on the stove, stirring very frequently:

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 square unsweetened chocolate

Wisk together, until smooth:

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsp corn starch

1 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

Once the milk is heated and the chocolate is melted, add the above mixture to your saucepan.  Stir constantly until it boils and becomes thick like pudding.

Pour into prepared pie shell.  (I can post my crust recipe too, later)  Place plastic wrap directly on top of hot pudding to prevent it from forming a skin.  Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.  Top with whipped cream (has to be the real stuff, heavy whipping cream, whipped at home!  No cool whip or stuff from the can! :)  Shave chocolate on top as a garnish.

Variation:

If you are like Natalee, you prefer Coconut Cream Pie.  Make this the same way, but do not add the unsweetened chocolate at the beginning.  In your prepared pie crust, put a layer of coconut, half the pudding, another layer of coconut, the rest of the pudding, and then the whipped cream.  Garnish top with more coconut.  Also really yummy!  I usually make both kinds for our Thanksgiving feast.

Enjoy!