Chocolate Pie Crust-

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt and mix well. Cut in butter using a pastry blender, or 2 knives, or a food processor. Cut in till butter pieces are the size of small peas.

Add water, starting with 3 tablespoons, and mix till dough comes together. You don’t want the dough to be overly wet, but you don’t want it to be crumbly either.

Once dough comes together use your hands to quickly form into a ball. In between 2 layers of plastic wrap, flatten ball into a nice and round 5-6 inch disk. Fold plastic wrap around the disk and place in fridge for at least 1 hour or freezer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Remove from fridge and roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 2-3 inches larger in diameter than your 9-inch pie plate. Place dough in pie plate, trim excess dough overhang and crimp edges. Dock pie dough with fork every few inches.

Cover dough with parchment paper, making sure to cover the crimped edges and fill the pie crust with pie weights (or dry rice or beans).

Place the pie on a baking sheet. This will help you remove the pie from the oven easier without ruining your nice edges.

Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment paper gently and cook an additional 8-10 minutes until it looks cooked. Remove from oven and let cool completely before filling. If your dough was too wet the edges may fall a bit, simply try to press them back up while they are still hot.

French Silk Filling-

Put chocolate pieces in a microwave safe bowl and melt on 50% power till melted nicely, stirring every 30 seconds or so. Set aside to cool a bit.

In a heat-proof bowl whisk together the eggs and 1 ½ cups powdered sugar until light. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler) and whisk the mixture constantly until cooked and thick. About 10 minutes or until it reaches 160 F.

Remove from heat and whisk in the slightly cooled melted chocolate. Cover mixture with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 20-30 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the butter to the mixture from the fridge and beat until smooth.

In another mixing bowl or in a stand mixer bowl, beat the heavy cream, cocoa powder, vanilla and ¼ cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into chocolate mixture and pour evenly into the cooled chocolate pie crust. Smooth the top nicely. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to a few days.

Topping-

Before serving beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe topping over chilled and set up pie. Sprinkle chocolate shavings or cocoa powder on top, as desired.