This is a recipe I developed with my sister.

The cool silky pudding is great for hot summer days and the small two-bite size makes it almost guilt-free. Begin with the crust, fill with pudding, and top with whip.

CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUST:

1 package of chocolate cookie crumble
4 tablespoons of butter melted.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Add the melted butter to crushed oreo cookie crumbs and blend until well combined.
Place the ground crumb mixture into cupcake or cheese pan and press onto the bottom and up the sides evenly, especially around the bottom edge.
Bake for 10 mins until dry. Cool crust completely before filling.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING FILLING:

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark unsweetened good-quality cocoa powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent)

In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt.
Add egg yolks and whisk until combined. The mixture will look like a thick paste. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly.
Place saucepan over medium heat and bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pan. Boil for 30 seconds and immediately transfer to a medium bowl.
Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate; whisk until combined. Continue whisking until mixture is cooled slightly. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer to refrigerator until chilled, at least 3 hours.
Stir pudding to loosen and pour on top of crust, making sure to stay within the cookie crust border. Filling to 80% of the way. Using an offset spatula, spread pudding to form an even layer.
Transfer to refrigerator for 30 minutes.

VANILLA BEAN WHIP:

1 cup of whipping cream.
1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste - Maison Cote.
2 tablespoons of icing sugar.
1 package Whippit - optional, and only if you need it to stay erect reliably.

In the chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a chilled whisk attachment, beat cream until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.
Sprinkle sugar over cream and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla.
Pipe whipped cream over chilled pudding layer.
Decorate with Vahlrona chocolate pearls which can be purchased at Whole Foods in the US or chocolate shavings.

Love pie? To see more pie recipes see this post.

Photos by Jenny Lee of Filament Photography