Chocolate Mocha Latte Pie

From Feb. Issue of Woman's Day Magazine

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Chocolate Crust

• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2⁄3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄3 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
• 1  large  egg yolk
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Mocha Latte Filling

• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄4 cup cornstarch
• 2  tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1⁄4 cups  whole milk
• 3  large  egg yolks
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3  ounces  unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter

• Topping and Decorations

•  sweetened whipped cream or   whipped topping
•  chocolate, hearts
•  milk chocolate chips
•  dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Crust: Pulse flour, sugar, cocoa and salt in a food processor until blended. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few flecks of butter visible. Mix egg yolk with 1 1/2 Tablespoons water and 1/2 t vanilla extract. Pour yolk mixture evenly over top; pulse until flour mixture starts to clump together. Gather dough; form into ball. Flatten into a 6 1/2 inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to one hour.
2. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick spray. Lightly flour disk and rolling pin. Roll dough on a sheet of wax paper into a 12 1/2 inch circle. Trim to 12 inches, discard trimmings. Place a floured hand on dough, invert (still on wax paper) onto hand and position dough over pie plate. Gently ease into plate, pressing dough against bottom and sides; carefully peel off paper. Fold edge under so it's slightly higher than side of plate; crimp edge. Freeze 15 minutes until firm.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prick bottom of crust all over with a fork. Line with non-stick foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes. Carefully lift out foil and weights and bake 15 minutes more, or until crust is cooked through and set. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Filling: Mix egg yolks from 3 large eggs lightly beaten in a small bowl with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, set aside. In a heavy 3 quart saucepan, using a wire whisk, stir sugar, cornstarch, espresso powder and salt until combined. Whisk in milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, about 18 minutes until thickened and boiling; boil, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat; whisk about 1 cup hot mixture into yolk mixture until blended. Slowly scrape yolk mixture into hot mixture, stirring to prevent curdling. Stir over low heat about 3 minutes until very thick. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter; stir until completely melted. Strain through a fine mesh sieve set over a 1 quart measure or bowl. Scrape hot filling into crust; smooth top with spatula. Press plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate about 2 hours until cold and set, or up to 2 days.
5. Serve: Mound whip cream on pie, leaving a border of filling visible. Top with candy hearts, chocolate morsels, etc.