Chocolate Cream Pie

• Crumb Crust:

• 1 3/4 cups cookie crumbs, such as graham cracker, ginger, vanilla, or chocolate wafer
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup butter, melted

• Chocolate Cream Pie:

• 3 squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Whipped cream
• Shaved sweet chocolate
• Crumb crust

To make the crumb crust, combine cookie crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the mixture and press down firmly with a spatula or spoon.

Combine unsweetened chocolate with 1/4 cup sugar and the water in a small saucepan and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Combine, in the top of double boiler, flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt. Stir the milk in gradually, and when well blended stir in the chocolate mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened; continue cooking over hot water about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove 4 tablespoons of the mixture and add to the egg, stirring vigorously. Then blend with the mixture in the double boiler and flavor with vanilla. Just before removing from the hot water, stir in butter. Cool the mixture, pour into crumb crust and chill. Top with whipped cream and shaved sweet chocolate.