smooth like a velour tracksuit

Have you ever owned any velour clothes?

That stuff is awesome--it makes you want to pet yourself. Okay, so it's not velvet (sorry, George), but I'll take it in a pinch. What can I say, clearly fashion has never been my thing.

Baking, on the other had, is one of my things. This latest piece of evidence is a classic pie that's rich and flavorful and yes, smooth like velour. It requires a lot of attention (chocolate scrambled eggs, anyone?) and elbow grease to make, but the calories rewards are many. I recommend using some high quality chocolate, but let's be honest--a bag of Hershey's morsels will get the job done.

Just as a side note, I've been known to mix up the flavors in this pie from time to time lest things get boring, and my favorite variation to date is mint chocolate chip. Simply add a little mint extract in place of some of the vanilla and stir in about half a cup of morsels or chunks after the thickened filling has cooled a bit. A little snag in the velour in the form of a chocolate chip isn't too bad...no, it's not too bad at all.

Happy Mammy's Day to all you spawners out there!

Chocolate Cream Pie for the Non-Fashionista
1-1/2 cups finely crushed Oreo cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-1/4 cups half and half
4 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
1-1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

To make the crust, generously butter a 9-inch pie dish. In a large bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and the melted butter. (You can crush the cookies in a food processor or blender.) Using your fingertips, firmly and evenly press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes, then let cool completely.
To make the chocolate filling, in a stainless steel pot, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Slowly whisk in the half and half, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and stir until soft tracks appear. Remove from the heat and pour a third of the heated mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour this back into the pot and mix well. Return to the heat and stir constantly until it starts to thicken, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat again, stir in the vanilla, then pour the thickened mixture over the chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth, pour into baked crust, then chill for 2-3 hours before serving.