Creamy Chocolate Mint Pie

For the cookie crust base - Combine flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in large bowl. Cut in 8 tablespoons of butter. In a separate cup, combine: egg, sugar, vanilla and peppermint. Add to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover dough and refrigerate for an hour.

On a parchment lined pan, press dough into a 10”x7” rectangle. Bake for about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven, until center is firm. When cool, crush into crumbs (it will crumble easily). This recipe makes about 3 cups of chocolate graham cracker crumbs.

For pie crust - Combine 2 cups of crumbs from the base above with 3 tablespoons melted butter. Press into bottom and sides of a 9” pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes in a 325 oven.

For filling - In a 1.5 quart microwave safe dish, blend sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in about ½ cup coconut milk, stirring to break up little clumps. Add remaining coconut milk from can, blending well.

Place dish in microwave and cook uncovered for 1 minute 30 seconds on high (in a 1500 watt oven). Stir. Heat for another 2 minutes on high, stirring at 30 second intervals. Cook time will vary depending on how powerful your microwave is.

Add vanilla extract and peppermint oil. After stirring, pour filling into prepared pie crust. Let chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or freeze pie (for clean slices, some freezer time is good). Top chilled pie with coconut whipped cream (below).

To cook filling on stove - Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium low and stir or whisk constantly until filling is thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

For coconut whipped cream - This coconut milk gives me the most consistent results. Open can of cold coconut milk without shaking. Scoop the thick coconut cream into a bowl (not the watery part though, save it for another recipe or drink). Add sugar and vanilla. Whip until fluffy by hand or with a mixer. Top pie with cream and garnish with extra cookie crumbs.