Double Layer Chocolate Cream Pie

                                   

Pie Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp ice water

Filling:

4 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

4 ounces milk chocolate

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 and 1/4 cup whole milk

Topping:

1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream

2 tsp confections' sugar

2 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate

For the pie crust, in a large mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut in butter and shortening until the mixture is the consistency of small peas. Sprinkle the ice water and mix until the dough starts coming together. Using your hands, work the dough into a 4-inch disk, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (or freeze at this point). Roll-out dough onto a lightly floured surface to form a disk 1-inch larger than your pie size and 1/8-inch thick. Place the dough into pie pan and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. After pie dough has chilled prick the bottom and sides gently using a fork to prevent the crust from bubbling or use pie weights. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on rack.

For filling, melt the bittersweet chocolate in a double broiler or in a bowl over simmering water, stir, and set aside. In a medium bowl beat the cream cheese on high for one minute. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and confectioners' sugar and beat on high for one minute. Stir in melted chocolate and mix till blended. Pour mixture into cooled pie shell and chill for one hour. Meanwhile, melt the milk chocolate in a double broiler or in a bowl over simmering water, stir, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine the pudding mix and whole milk, beat on low until blended, then on high for two minutes. Add in melted milk chocolate and beat on high for one minute. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, whip one cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the milk chocolate mixture and spread over the first cream cheese layer in the pie crust. Chill for 2 hours.

For the sweetened whipped cream, beat the remaining heavy cream and confectioners' sugar till soft peaks form. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and decorate pie as desired. For the chocolate curls, melt chocolate in double broiler or in a bowl over simmering water. Pour over a chilled smooth surface, I used a cutting board, but a marble slab is recommended (who has that!?). Smooth chocolate to a thin layer and chill for 5-10 minutes or until chocolate is no longer melted, but soft. Using a metal spatula scrap across the chocolate until a curl is formed. Remove curl from board using a toothpick and place onto dessert or chilled plate.