SWEET CHOCOLATE PIE
Three recipes in one

• chocolate crumb crust
• ¹/³ cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) heavy (double) cream
• 3 tbsp instant-coffee granules
• 4 oz (125 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped (scant 1 cup)
• 1 lb (500 g) cream cheese, softened

• 2 extra-large eggs
• ¾ cup (6 oz/180 g) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups (12 fl oz/375 ml) chocolate whipped cream
• strawberries, raspberries or chocolate coffee beans for topping

1. Prepare the chocolate crumb crust. (See below).
2. Preheat an oven to 325 deg F (165 deg C).
3. Gently warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form at the edges. Add the coffee and stir to dissolve. Set aside.
4. Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl or the top pan of a double boiler. Set over a pan of gently simmering water but not touching the water. Stir until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.
5. Place the cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor or in a mixing bowl. Process for 10 seconds or beat with an electric mixer set on low speed until very smooth. Stir in the coffee mixture, then the cooled chocolate. Pour and scrape into the cooled pie shell, smoothing the top. 
6. Bake until the top is dry to the touch and slightly firm, 35 - 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Top with the chocolate whipped (see below) cream and garnish with berries or chocolate coffee beans.

Makes one 10-inch (25-cm) pie; serves 8

• 1 package (7 oz/210 g) chocolate cookie wafers

• ¼ cup (2 oz/60 g) sugar
• ¹/3 cup (3 oz/90 g) butter, preferable unsalted, melted

Crush the wafers into fine crumbs: Break into pieces, place in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process finely. Or place the wafers in a heavy-duty plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. (You will have about 3 cups.)

In a mixing bowl combine the crumbs, sugar and butter and, using a fork, mix completely. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and sides of the plate or pan. In the springform pan the crumb coating will come only halfway up the sides and will be slightly uneven, which is fine. Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool, cover and chill well before filling

Make one 9-  or 10-inch (23- or 25-cm)pie crust

• 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) heavy (double) cream, chilled
• 1 cup (3-4-oz/90-125 g) confectioners' (icing) sugar, sifted before measuring

• ½ cup (1½ oz/45 g ) unsweetened cocoa, sifted before measuring.

Take care not to overbeat or the cream will turn to butter.

You may make this chocolaty whipped cream as much as 4 hours in advance. Spoon it into a fine-mesh strainer placed over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. The whipped cream will not be as light and fluffy, but it will still be fine. Any liquid it releases will drain into the bowl and will not cause the whipped cream to become runny. Once the whipped cream is added to a dessert, serve immediately.

Makes about 4 cups (32 fl oz/ 1 L)
SOURCE: WILLIAMS-SONOMA KITCHEN LIBRARY = CHOCOLATE