Chocolate & Vanilla Custard Pie

I have some chocolate cookie crumbs sitting in my cupboard that have been whispering sweet nothings to me for the last month or so. It’s trying to lure me into making something delicious, like a chocolate cheesecake or a chocolate mud pie. Today, its mission was successful. But I have little patience for protracted recipes, so I’m just going to make a Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding Pie! It's also detailed on my blog, www.approachingfood.com, at

http://goo.gl/EDqT3m. Let's make us some pie!

Chocolate Pie Crust

• 1 ½ cup chocolate wafer crumbs
• 3 tbsp.butter, melted
• 3 tbsp. sugar

Mix together, and press into a pie pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5-8 minutes. Let cool. Ta da! Crust is done!

Homemade Vanilla Pudding

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
  2 ¼ cups milk
  3 large eggs, beaten
  3 tbsp. butter, small chunks
  2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix cornstarch, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Whisk in ¼ cup milk, and then the eggs and then the rest of the milk. Cook over a medium heat, continuously whisking, for about 5 minutes, until the pudding starts to bubble. Then switch to low heat and continue whisking for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and
vanilla extract. Pour/press through a sieve to get out any lumps. Pour into a serving container and chill for about two hours. Serve to adoring fans and taste the difference homemade makes!

Pro tip: As the pudding is chilling in the fridge, put a piece of plastic wrap on the top, touching the pudding, to avoid the dreaded ‘pudding skin’. Unless you like the skin. Then, whatevs!

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 tbsp. sugar

Mix together and beat on high with a mixer or blender until stiff peaks form and stay formed. And...you're done!

Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding Pie

• 1 chocolate cookie crumb crust
  1 vanilla pudding recipe
  1-2 cups whipped cream

Take cooled chocolate cookie crumb crust in pie pan. Pour cooled pudding into crust and refrigerate for 2 hours or so. Cover in whipping cream. Serve to general acclaim. Accept applause as your due.

Yummers! Was that not the most delicious confection? The crunch of the chocolate-y, buttery crust; the creamy, smooth flavour of the vanilla pudding; the light sweetness of the whipping cream…that’s a seriously decadent mouthful!

Mmm…just writing these words makes me want to eat more! So if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to eat some Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding pie!