Grasshopper Pie

So, I've had this pie pinned forever to my "No Bake" board on Pinterest. I actually think it might have been one of the first things I pinned. Except that it wasn't actually this pie. The pie I had pinned used Cool Whip and instant pudding mix, and as you know, I don't have Cool Whip or instant pudding mix. I have whipping cream and unflavored gelatin. But I liked the idea of the pie, so I pinned it anyway, thinking I could come up with a from-scratch version.

And this is totally from scratch. I even baked the chocolate cookies for the cookie crumb crust. That's totally not necessary; I was, per usual, just too lazy to go to the store. I used the wafer cookie recipe from my Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies (I skipped the milk, used brown sugar instead of white, added a little chocolate extract for fun, and rolled them out)(Don't you know by now, I never make a recipe the same way twice?), but obviously if you're not a crazy person like me, a box of chocolate wafer cookies is a whole lot easier.

The pie filling is creamy, minty goodness, and then you've got the chocolate crumb crust, sprinkled with dark chocolate chips, and you really can't go wrong.

Full disclosure though-- for the mint chips, I had a mixed bag of mint and chocolate chips and I sat there picking out all the green mint ones, because this is how crazy people operate. You can buy just mint chips if you're not a crazy person, or if you can't find them, just use white chocolate and add some mint or peppermint extract (I prefer peppermint, because I find mint extract makes things taste like toothpaste).

Have a happy St. Paddy's Day! This year I won't get pinched because I remembered to post something green. :D

Grasshopper Pie
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
2 cups finely ground chocolate cookie crumbs
4 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup milk
1 cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar, divided
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Green food coloring
1 cup mint baking chips
1½ cups chilled whipping cream
½ tsp. chocolate extract*
Dark chocolate chips, for decorating

Directions
In a bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs and melted butter until well coated. Press evenly into a 9-inch pie plate, allowing it to come up the sides. Refrigerate until needed.

Add the cold water to a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Allow to bloom.

In a small saucepan, mix the milk, 1 cup of sugar, cornstarch, and a few drops of green food coloring together. Heat on low, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming, and cook until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the mint chips until melted.

Add the hot milk mixture to the softened gelatin, and mix together. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or until you can mold it with a spoon.

Add the remaining tbsp. of sugar and the chocolate extract to the whipping cream, and whip on high until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the mint mixture. Mound the filling into the prepared pie crust, and chill another 2 hours, or until firm. Sprinkle the top with dark chocolate chips and serve chilled.

*If you can't find chocolate extract, use vanilla

Recipe by Kim