A thick layer of silky chocolate cream sandwiched between a crunchy chocolate crust and thin chocolate shell

Crust (alternate: two 8" graham cracker pie shells)
1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs *
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 Tablespoons butter, melted

Filling
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 oz. (1 package) cream cheese, room temperature
1 3/4 cups milk
3 oz. (1 package) chocolate pudding
8 oz. whipped cream or whipped topping

Topping
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter

Crust
1. If making your own crust grease a 8" or 9" springform pan. Mix the graham cracker crumbs * and sugar; add butter and mix. Flatten ** in your springform pan. Bake for 7 minutes at 350 degrees. Set aside to cool.

Filling
2. Place sugar, chocolate syrup, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and cream cheese in a sauce pan on the stove (preferrably with the cream cheese on bottom) and cover for 15 minutes.

3. In a separate dish mix pudding mix and milk.

4. Stir the cream cheese mixture until fairly homogenous; add cream cheese mixture to pudding and mix with electric beater.

5. Add whipped cream -- but do not overbeat!

6. Well grease the sides of the springform pan again (this helps prevent the filling from sticking to the pan).

7. Pour mixture into springform pan or pie crusts.

8. Freeze for 4 hours, or preferrably overnight.

Topping
9. Add butter and chocolate chips to a small sauce pan on low. Stir.

10. Once mixture is melted and smooth remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

11. Pour over the top of the triple chocolate pie and spread evenly over the top using a spatula.

12. Return to freezer for at least 10 minutes to allow chocolate shell to harden.

13. You may need to use a thin, narrow spatula around the edges to help loosen the pie from the springform pan.

14. Once removed from the springform pan you can return any leftovers to the freezer. Simply cover in plastic wrap.

* If using graham crackers, place them in an empty cereal bag and roll with a rolling pin to create crumbs.

** Small spatulas / pancake turners are an excellent tool to get an even and flat crust.

*** Cutting out a piece of wax paper and placing at the bottom of the springform pan can make removal later much easier.

**** The dish is most easily sliced when thoroughly frozen; likewise the thin chocolate shell is most easily broken with a fork when the dish is served cold directly from the freezer, although some people do prefer the dish to slightly warm to give it a creamier texture.

This dessert is really, really, really good. Joshua created it for me, and I have been known to practically beg him to make me one ;) It's so smooth, creamy, and silky... it's just as good as chocolate ice cream... maybe even better! If you like chocolate... ;) Even better, since this is a frozen pie, you can eat it slowly and it won't go bad. Not like ours ever lastsvery long anyway... ;) 10/10