Emeril's Chocolate Cream Pie

1 cup plus 2 Tb Sugar

3/4 cup plus 1 3/4 cups Heavy Cream

3/4 cup Buttermilk

3 1/2 Tb Cornstarch

Pinch of Salt

4 Egg Yolks

4 oz Good Quality Semi Sweet Chocolate (finely chopped)

1 Tb Butter

3/4 tsp Vanilla

3 Tb Powder Sugar

1 9-inch Chocolate Cookie Crust 

In a small saucepan combine sugar, 3/4 c heavy cream, buttermilk, cornstarch, and pinch of salt, and whisk until smooth over medium high heat and bring to a boil for 5 minutes, whisking constantly. 

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly. Pour 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolk and whisk thoroughly. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan and whisk over the heat until thoroughly combined and very thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, and whisk in the chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Continue whisking until thoroughly  combined (will be very thick)  Cover the mixture with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface and refrigerate until cooled to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Mix the other 1 3/4 cups of heavy cream in a mixing bowl with powder sugar. Mix until stiff peaks form. Gently fold about 1/4 of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate pudding mixture, then spoon the chocolate mixture into the prepared pie crust, and refrigerate until firm and cool, at least 4 hours. Refrigerate remaining whipped cream until you are ready to serve the pie.