Dodgeball...take 2

My second experience with Dodgeball was not much of an improvement from the first...we were destroyed.  Turns out the key to a good dodgeball team is: have lots of big strong boys and be able to throw a ball.  I can do neither of these things and so I was not much of an asset to my team.  BUT! We had a blast and we got free snacks from the grocery store so I think it was a winning experience.

Now I have some time to kill (which never happens!).  On Thursday, our Educational Psychology teacher is bring us pie to celebrate the last day of class.  She also announced that anyone who wants to bring something can...and so I have embarked on the search for the perfect pie to bring.  Also, I love this class and so I really want to bring something good.  Ed Psych has been a ton of fun because we are learning about adolescent psychology.  This is basically: why are teens so messed up and crazy most of the time?  Who doesn't enjoy talking about that?  It also gives us all a chance to reflect back on those glorious teen years of middle and high school and how awkward we were (or still are :)). 

I want to do something decently easy, as finals are coming up and I don't have a ton of time, and something not too expensive as the holidays are coming up.  My friend Tamara has been asking me to make my chocolate chip cookies, but add in pretzel pieces to get that salty kick going.  I decided to use that idea...in pie form!  I found this adorable pie post from Tidy Mom for Chocolate Covered Pretzel Pie.  I fell in love.

Chocolate Covered Pretzel Pie

Ingredients:
2 cups broken pretzels
3/4 cup light brown sugar, divided and lightly packed
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups 2% milk
4 egg yolks
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine smashed pretzels, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and butter. Press mixture firmly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake crust 10 to 15 minutes; cool.  Crust should be golden.
2. In a medium saucepan whisk together 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, salt, and milk. Place over medium heat and stir until sugar is just dissolved, about 2 minutes. Whisk in egg yolks. Cook, stirring constantly, until custard thickens and just boils, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in bittersweet chocolate and vanilla. Place pan in a bowl of ice and water and stir occasionally until custard cools.

3. While custard cools, make a chocolate ganache to cover pie crust. Place chopped semi sweet chocolate in medium bowl. Heat 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream in microwave about 30-40 seconds (just until boils). Pour warm cream over chocolate and stir until melted. Pour over cooled pie crust, using rubber spatula to help spread chocolate up the sides and over entire bottom of crust. Place in refrigerator or freezer until set.




4. Pour custard into cooled crust with hardened ganache and press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until firm, 4 hours or up to a day. (I let it chill overnight.)
5. Whip cream and confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form, spread over pie and garnish with extra pretzels and chocolate shavings.

Enjoy :)