Chocolate Cream Pie

Directions

1. 1
   The crust: Combine salt, sugar, and flour in a large mixing bowl preferably metal.
2. 2
   Add the chilled fat then put the whole bowl right into the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
3. 3
   Take it out and working either with the tips of your fingers or a pastry cutter try and break all the fat into small pieces until the mixture is a crumbly mess.
4. 4
   Add either your iced liquor and water mixture or your iced water to the mixture about a tablespoon at a time.
5. 5
   Once you can press a handful of the mixture into your fist you and it keeps its form its ready.
6. 6
   Chill the pie crust for 3-6 hours or even better overnight.
7. 7
   When ready to roll out let the crust come to room temperature for a while then place the pie over a pie of wax paper and roll into about a 10 or 11 circle.
8. 8
   Transfer the crust to a 9 pie pan.
9. 9
   Either add a piece of parchment paper and some pie weights or dock the pie and bake at 375 until golden brown about 20 minutes.
10. 10
    After the pie is done let it cool down to room temperature while you prepare the filling.
11. 11
    The filling: bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan, meanwhile whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, salt, and sugar until smooth.
12. 12
    Slowly add some of the hot milk to the egg mixture a couple tablespoons at a time.
13. 13
    Once the egg mixture is close to the temperature of the milk in the pan and the egg mixture has loosened up a bit, add it all back to the pan.
14. 14
    Whisking almost constantly bring the mixture back up to a simmer and keep it there until the mixture has become very thick.
15. 15
    Remove from the heat and slowly add in the butter and chocolate a little at a time.
16. 16
    Let the mix sit until at room temperature or slightly warmer, then spoon into the shell smooth out and refrigerate until firm.
17. 17
    The topping (optional): using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment mix the sugar and heavy cream on medium-low until the mixture becomes frothy, then boost the speed to high and beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.
18. 18
    For those of you who dont know how to check for peaks just dip your whisk or hand mixer into the whipped cream, pull it out, flip it upside down then tap the the whisk gently.
19. 19
    If the peaks dont fall, then you have achieved stiff peaks.
20. 20
    Once done spread over the finished pie and garnish with shaved chocolate or cocoa powder.