Chocolate and pudding  - two of my favourite words! This dessert combines a crispy pie crust filled with a smooth dark chocolate custard and topped with clouds of softly whipped cream. 

Serves 6-8

Flaky pie shell 

1 ½ cups flour

1 tbsp sugar

Pinch salt

120g very cold butter

½ cup water, with a few ice cubes

Custard filling

¼ cup cornflour

1/3 cup sugar + extra 2 tbsps

3 tbsps cocoa

Decent pinch salt

3 cups milk

120g dark chocolate, chopped

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup cream, soft whipped

Extra chocolate for topping

Toasted hazelnuts to garnish

1. Make the pastry first: Add dry ingredients to a large bowl. Grate over butter and mix in loosely with dry ingredients. Start drizzling in ice-cold water, adding most of it, before mixing briskly with a butter knife. Add enough of the water and mix it enough that it starts to clump together in one ball in the bowl. Tip onto a floured bench. Briefly and gently knead it to bring it firmly together. Shape to a flat disc, wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes before rolling out to line a 25cm round pie dish. Prick bottom and sides with a fork. Press a greased piece of foil to cover pastry lining entirely, folding it up over lip, and place in freezer for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 180 C and place a baking tray in to heat.
3. Bake shell for 20 minutes, on top of hot tray, then carefully remove foil lining and continue cooking until golden brown, another 15 minutes or so.
4. Make the filling; In a medium saucepan whisk together cornflour, third cup sugar, cocoa and salt until combined. Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook for 2-4 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened.  Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes then pour into cooled pie shell. Smooth top and cool completely.
5. When ready to serve pie, top with whipped cream, grated chocolate and chopped hazelnuts if using.

Nici’s note:

Cooked pastry shell will stay crispy and fresh in airtight container for at least a few days.

You can make this pie even easier if you use store-bought flaky pastry.