Diane

Layer Chocolate Pie (Paul’s favorite.)

1 2/3 cups Oreo cookie crumbs (see below)
1/3 cup butter; melted
4 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups cold, heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups milk
2 (4 serving size) chocolate pudding mix

Spray a 9-inch pie plate with Pam. Combine cookie crumbs and butter and press in bottom and sides of prepared pie plate; refrigerate until ready to use.

Mix cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl with a wire whisk until smooth; set aside. Using a cold (preferably stainless steel) bowl and a wire whisk, whip heavy cream with 3 tablespoons sugar and vanilla just until mixture peaks. (Do not over whip or you’ll make butter). Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups of the whipped cream (refrigerate the rest) into the cream cheese mixture and spread in bottom and up sides of crust; place in refrigerator while making pudding.

Cook pudding as directed on box except use only 2 1/4 cups milk (mixture will be thick). Lay plastic wrap directly on hot pudding, cool completely in refrigerator. Spread cooled pudding on top of cream cheese layer. Top pie with remaining whipped cream. Garnish with dark chocolate curls. Refrigerate 4 hours.

*Can be made with 2 (4 serving size) instant pudding and with 12oz. container of Cool Whip in place of the freshly whipped cream.

**I like to use the reduced fat Oreos because they have less cream filling. Pulse in the food processor to make crumbs.

Marilyn