Chocolate Cream Pie

Preheat the oven according to the pie crust directions. Poke the bottom of your pie crust a few times with a fork to create steam vents. Add a sheet of parchment paper and weigh down the parchment with about 2 cups of dry beans or pie weights. Cover the edge of the pie crust with foil or pie ring so it doesn't scorch.

Follow package directions and bake until crispy and golden. Remove weights and allow the crust to cool.

While the crust blind bakes set a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 cups of the milk and the sugar to a saucepot and stir until combined. Bring this mixture slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally so none of the milk scalds.

In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 cup of milk, the beaten eggs, cornstarch, and cocoa powder until smooth.

Once the milk boils, take it off the heat. Then add 1/4 cup of the milk mixture to the egg mixture and stir. Add another 1/4 cup of the milk mixture to the egg mixture and stir.

Put the milk back on medium heat and add the warm egg mixture to it, whisking non-stop until the mixture thickens into a pudding-like consistency.

Once the mixture thickens, take it off the heat and whisk in the finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate.

Add the butter and whisk until smooth. Pass the chocolate filling through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl.

Spray a piece of plastic wrap large enough to cover the bowl with cooking spray, then top the surface of the chocolate filling with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or until cool.

Once the filling has cooled, remove the plastic wrap and reserve. Pour the chocolate filling into the baked pie shell. Reuse the plastic wrap and place it directly on the surface of the filling. Chill the pie for an additional 3 hours.

Top the chocolate cream pie with whipped cream topping, slice, serve, and enjoy.