Video Attempt: Chocolate Cream Pie & A Special Announcement

Soooo, if you watched the above video, the cat's out of the bag! Or rather the bun is in the oven? Thanks to my mom for being such a great sport and making this chocolate cream pie about an hour after being picked up at the airport as I knew I wasn't going to be able to make it too long into her trip without telling her the news and, you know, we wanted to catch her reaction on camera. (Oh and we shot this back in May, so I'm now four months along in case you were wondering.) Lastly (but definitely not leastly), this chocolate cream pie is outstanding. Make it for sure.

Chocolate Cream Pie (the only dessert recipe) from Jeanne Kelley's Salad for Dinner
crust:
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole raw almonds, toasted and finely chopped
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

filling:
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large egg yolks
3 cups milk (I used 2%, as suggested)
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (54 to 60% cacao), chopped
1 tablespoon dark rum (I know I could have added this even though I'm pregnant, but I didn't because I didn't have any on hand. I bet it's a delicious addition though!)

topping:
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the crust:
Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a 9-inch pie dish or pan. Combine the flour, almonds, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a fork, stir in the butter until the mixture resembles moist sand. Press the dough firmly and evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. Bake the crust until just browned at the edges, about 11 minutes. Let the crust cool completely.

For the filling:
In a heavy large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt and whisk to blend. Beat in the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in the milk. Whisk the filling over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and boils, about 1 minute. Remove the filling from the heat and immediately stir in the chocolate, whisking until the chocolate melts and the filling is smooth. Stir in the rum. Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top. Let the pie cool to room temperature and cover loosely with waxed paper. Chill the pie until cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.

For the topping:
Beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Spread the topping over the pie and serve.