Frozen Chocolate Pie

Extraordinarily rich and decadent, this pie is a chocolate lover's dream. Like many of my favorite recipes, it is from the Betty Crocker Recipe Card Library. You can use a traditional, graham cracker or cookie crumb pie crust, but my favorite is a chocolate cookie crumb crust (that I will sometimes mix with some very well-dried and finely chopped maraschino cherries).

• Ready In: 6 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• PIE

• 1  cup confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 6  ounces  semisweet chocolate or 1  cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 4  eggs
• 1  9-inch baked pie crust (traditional, graham cracker, or cookie crumb crust)

• WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

• 1  cup  whipping cream, well-chilled
• 2  tablespoons confectioners' sugar

• garnish

•  chocolate curls (optional)
•  chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. In small bowl, combine 1 cup of confectioner's sugar with the butter on the low speed of a mixer until fluffy.
2. Blend in the chocolate and vanilla.
3. Then, on high speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
4. Pour into the prepared pie shell and cover with plastic wrap.
5. Freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm.
6. For easier cutting, remove the pie from the freezer 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
7. When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap.
8. Then, in a chilled bowl, beat the whipping cream and 2 tablespoons of confectioner's sugar until stiff.
9. Pile decoratively onto the pie, and top with garnish if desired.
10. NOTE: I have found my small hand-held mixer works better for this than my stronger tabletop model.
11. If you use a tabletop mixer, be careful you don't overmix.
12. This pie should be thick, dense and creamy, and overbeating the eggs will give it a more mousse-like texture.
13. It's by no means bad that way, but it is much better when the consistency is thick.