I like the pumpkin/coffee/chocolate combo and have been working on a pie of that nature for a while now.  Here it is!  What’s great is the unassuming mocha taste amid the pumpkin custard, and this version also has a hard chocolate layer between it and the decadent chocolate espresso shell.  Once baked, the color reminds me of the last crispy brown leaves lingering on the trees this time of year.  Pretty simple to make, my steps are recorded below.

preheat oven to 425-degrees

crush 24 chocolate wafers / mix with 2 T sugar, 1/2 t instant espresso, 4 T melted unsalted butter / press into buttered up pie pan / bake 10 minutes

melt 5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (or 1/2 C choco bits) / pour over baked chocolate shell / set in freezer

beat 2 eggs in large bowl / stir in 1 (15 oz.) can of pure pumpkin / add 3/4 C brown sugar, 2 T cocoa, 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t instant espresso powder / slowly add 1 (12 oz.) can of evaporated milk / mix until combined / pour over chocolate shell pan

bake in 425-degree oven for 15 minutes, then reduce oven to 350-degrees and bake about 35 more minutes  (or until set and fork inserted in the center comes out clean)

whip up 2 C heavy cream, 1/2 C caster sugar & 1/2 t vanilla

DOLLOP & DEVOUR.

extra notes: Nabisco’s Famous Wafers are best for crust.  Any kind of sweetener works for the whipped cream (I just like the minuscule granules of caster sugar).  You can use a blender, food processor, or lots of pent up frustration to crumble up the wafers.  The butter for the crust can be soft or totally melted.  Valrhona unsweetened chocolate is my favorite for the hard choco layer, but use choco bits if you already have them.  When storing the pie in the fridge, place a towel or paper towel over the top before covering it with plastic wrap to prevent condensation on top of pie.  I think it’s fun to use a cookie scoop for the whipped topping dollop.