Mississippi Mud Pie [club: BAKED]

I didn't think it was possible, but after the tartlets, scones, rugelach and now this mud pie all in less than a month, I'm at chocolate overload! This is the last chocolate-based thing I'll be eating for a while. The rest of this mud pie is in the freezer as we speak, which is a shame because it really is delicious and the texture is (er, was?) amazing.

This mud pie was fairly simple to make, as long as you spread the process out over a couple of days. I made the (oreo cookie!) crust, flourless chocolate cake and pudding on day one, chilled it overnight, then simply poured the pudding onto the cake the next day and chilled it for 30 more minutes while I whipped some cream for topping. Easy!



This is the type of dessert I'd bring to a friend's house for a dinner party. It's fancy enough for a special occasion, but its little imperfections give it a casual, homemade vibe. I'm extremely selective about the food I make that gets offered to other people - if it's not something I'd pay to eat at a restaurant, it's not good enough to serve to my friends and family. The fact that I'll probably make this again at some point for my loved ones speaks volumes about how good this pie is. The pudding also has a bit of espresso powder in it which gives it a nice kick without overpowering the chocolate. It's subtle enough that even non-coffee lovers will enjoy it.

The recipe can be found on this week's host's blog, as well as in Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis/Renato Poliafito and Home Baked Comfort by Kim Laidlaw.