GONE TO HEAVEN CHOCOLATE PIE: National Pie Day

Today is National Pie Day. National Pie Day was created by the American Pie Council in 1986 to commemorate Crisco's 75th anniversary of "serving foods to families everywhere." National Pie Day is a special day that is set aside to bake and cook all of your favorite pies. But most importantly, it's a day to eat pies! 

A few years ago I posted an easy recipe for a Chocolate Silk Pie in my Wedding Pie article. Here's a different recipe for this pie that I've adapted from Hershey's Kitchen. It's called Gone to Heaven Chocolate Pie. I make my own chocolate crumb crust instead of a frozen or store bought, but if you don't have time, use a pre-made crust. Since this is a Hershey's recipe, I've used their dark chocolate chips. If you have other chocolate lying around, just chop it up, so you have about the same amount, and substitute.

Gone to Heaven Chocolate Pie

Pie Shell: 

I would make a chocolate crumb crust. You can do this ahead to save time. Make two and freeze one, and you'll have one for next time! This one makes a 9" pie. 

Ingredients 

Nonstick vegetable oil spray 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 

1 ounce bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, chopped (70-85% cacao) 

30 chocolate wafer cookies 

Directions:

Spray a 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish with nonstick spray (or butter it). 

Stir butter and chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted. 

Finely grind cookies in processor. 

Add chocolate mixture. 

Process until crumbs are moistened. 

Press crumb mixture into prepared pie dish. 

Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. 

Pie Filling: 

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar 

1/3 cup cornstarch 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

4 egg yolks 

3 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Hershey's special Chocolate Chips, divided 

Sweetened whipped cream (optional) 

Directions: 

Bake pie shell; cool. Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in 2 quart saucepan. Combine egg yolks and milk in container with pouring spout. Gradually blend milk mixture into sugar mixture. 

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Add 1-3/4 cups chocolate chips; stir until chips are melted and mixture is well blended. Pour into prepared pie shell; press plastic wrap onto filling. Cool. 

Refrigerate several hours or until chilled and firm. Top with whipped cream and remaining chocolate chips. (optional) 

Chocolate Pudding Day: Retro Chocolate Pudding Ads & Recipes

Today is Chocolate Pudding Day! Jell-O brand chocolate pudding was a staple at our house when I was growing up--not the instant (in these ads), but the longer cooking pudding (5 minutes or so) that we made with whole milk. Funny. I can remember the special 'pudding' pot we used. Not quite a flat bottom, don't ask why, and it had little handles on both sides. I think it must have been the upper part of an ancient doubleboiler. In any case, it was a 'dairy' pot, used only for pudding. You had to stir the pudding constantly to prevent a 'skin' forming on top. I personally liked the texture of that skin, and when I was in charge of making the pudding, I allowed it to coagulate.

Today I make pudding from scratch with high quality ingredients--always the best chocolate. If you'd like to do that, check out this Creme de la Creme Chocolate Pudding recipe from mystery author Bobbi Mumm.

Enjoy these Retro Jell-O Pudding Ads. Be sure to scroll down through these Ads for the "official" Jell-O Chocolate Pudding Pie recipe.  If you want to make a sensational Silk Pie from scratch, try this recipe for Gone to Heaven Chocolate Pie. Add 'real' whipped cream.

Jell-O Chocolate Pudding Pie
from the Jell-O Website

1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
1-1/2 cups cold milk
1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
Make It

BEAT pudding mix and milk with whisk 2 min.; spoon half into crust.
STIR 1 cup COOL WHIP into remaining pudding; spoon over pudding layer in crust.
TOP with remaining COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 3 hours.