Tips: A pretty, layered dessert, this should be eaten within 24 hours of completion. A chocolate-cookie-crumb crust is topped with a chocolate truffle mixture; this is covered with a tart orange layer, and the whole is covered with whipped cream. Incidentally, the whipped cream must be put on just before serving. This would probably be most appreciated by adults, as it is not super-sweet. Nice for company.

Crust:

• About 15 chocolate sandwich cookies, ground, to make 1-1/2 c. crumbs (I use Oreos, and I grind them in a food processor fitted with a steel blade)
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Truffle Mixture:

• 9 ozs. good-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use good-qualty chips)
• 3/4 c. heavy cream

Orange Filling:

• 1 c. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks, from eggs graded "large"
• 1/3 c. water
• 1-1/4 c. orange juice (no pulp)
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 Tbsp. grated orange rind (no white pith)

Whipped Cream:

• 1 c. heavy cream
• 3 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar

Optional Decoration:
Shaved or grated semisweet chocolate

For Crust:
Preheat oven to 375'F (350'F if you're using a glass pie plate or one with a dark finish). In medium bowl, combine crumbs and melted butter; mix thoroughly with spoon. Turn into 9" pie plate. With fingers or back of spoon, pat about 2/3 of crust mixture onto sides of plate, forming a high rim. Pat remaining crust mixture evenly onto bottom of pie plate. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.

Remove to cooling rack; cool at least 20 minutes (or completely) before proceeding.

For Truffle Layer:
Place chocolate in small heatproof bowl. In small saucepan, heat cream over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very hot. Pour about 2/3 of cream over chocolate and stir to melt (if necessary, place bowl with chocolate over simmering water on low heat--water should not touch bottom of bowl--and stir frequently until chocolate is melted). Gradually whisk in remaining cream. Turn mixture into pie crust. If necessary, spread to make an even layer. Chill till needed.

For Orange Filling:
In heavy-bottomed, nonreactive 1-1/2 quart pot, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly to blend. In small bowl, beat egg yols with fork to blend; gradually beat in water. Add yolk mixture to pot, stirring gently (do not beat) but constantly. Gradually stir in orange juice. Place pot over medium heat. Stir gently but constantly until mixture thickens and boils (just before this happens, lumps may float to the top--keep stirring gently, and mixture should smooth out as it boils). Boil and stir one minute--no longer! Remove from heat. Gently stir in butter pieces and orange rind just until well-mixed. Spoon hot filling onto truffle layer (pie plate will be very full). Chill pie at least 3 hours; when cold, cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. While pie chills, chill a medium bowl and beater(s) for whipped cream topping for at least 30 minutes.

For Whipped Cream:
Pour cream into chilled medium bowl. Beat at high speed until traces of beater marks show. Add confectioners' sugar; beat in at low speed. Increase speed to high again and beat to very stiff peaks. Spread over orange filling on pie, up to (but not over) rim of crust. If desired, sprinkle whipped cream with optional shaved chocolate. Serve immediately.

8-10 servings

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