Chocolate Pudding Pie

On our Thanksgiving dessert table there was a sweet potato pie, a chocolate cake, a platter of Italian cookies, a tray of pralines, and a chocolate pudding pie, as requested by my husband.  If you recall, the husband isn't overly fond of chocolate, but he is a chocolate pudding fan - go figure.  Anyway, this is an easy pudding recipe, as there are no eggs to temper. It's also super creamy, and oh so delicious. I made my own pie crust, but a frozen crust will work perfectly fine. My sister requested that I make the pie again for our Christmas dessert table, and as she says, "I don't even like pie, but this was out of sight!"

Chocolate Pudding Pie Printable recipe
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups half & half
2 cups milk
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 prebaked 9" pie crust
Whipped cream, for garnish

Combine sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan.
Over medium heat, whisk in the 2 cups of half & half until the mixture is smooth, then add the 2 cups of milk.
Continue stirring mixture over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and thickens; this will take about 10 minutes.
Turn off heat, and add chopped semi-sweet chocolate and vanilla, stirring until chocolate melts.
Pour the pudding into the prebaked crust and refrigerate until pudding sets, about 2 hours.
Slice and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

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