Some cooks, especially bakers, really love family...

Some cooks, especially bakers, really love family birthdays--the traditional cake gives them a chance to strut their stuff for the folks who matter most. But to those of us who hate cake, birthdays are a never-ending trial. Even adults who might be presumed to be flexible in these matters tend to bake those boring old layers instead of something tasty like cannoli or creme brulee.

And most of them, to make matters worse, want the wretched thing to be chocolate. But even cake eaters sometimes see the light. This year my little friend Celia, knowing she would be getting chocolate cake at the three other birthday parties scheduled for the week before hers, came to the mature decision that it might be fun to have pie instead.

No getting around the chocolate. Celia, like her father, loves that flavor with a love that age cannot wither nor custom stale. And since I feel that way about her, it was chocolate on chocolate on chocolate: chocolate cookie crust, chocolate custard filling, chocolate whipped cream topping, with “Happy Birthday” in swirly chocolate writing and clusters of lifelike thin chocolate leaves in a wreath around the edge.

Big hit with the kids and their folks as well. Of course, if I were making the thing for myself, it would have been real chocolate cream pie, with a flaky pastry crust and plain whipped cream on top. But then if it were for myself, it would probably have been strawberry tart.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE WITH CHOCOLATE CRUST

7 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

1 ounce baking chocolate

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

Dash salt

2 cups half and half mixed with 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, or 2 cups heavy whipping cream and 1/2 cup half and half

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or 3 tablespoons dark rum

Chocolate Crust

Chocolate Topping

Grind chocolates or chop finely and set aside in deep heat-proof bowl. If ground in processor, leave in work bowl.

Beat egg yolks with sugar and salt. Beat in cream mixture until smooth. Transfer mixture to top of double boiler placed over simmering water (or place in heavy-bottomed, non-reactive saucepan over very low heat). Cook custard, stirring constantly, until it thickly coats spoon. Do not let boil.

Continue to cook custard about 2 minutes, stirring. Strain over ground chocolate. Stir (or process in food processor) until chocolate melts. Add butter, stirring until completely incorporated and smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool.

Pour filling into Chocolate Crust. Cover tightly and chill 4 hours or until filling is set. (Pie may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance.)

Frost pie with Chocolate Topping. Smooth on with long-bladed knife, if writing happy birthday, or make decorative swirls with back of spoon. Makes 8 servings.

Chocolate Crust

2 1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

1/2 cups ground pecans

6 tablespoons melted butter

Combine wafer crumbs, pecans and melted butter in bowl and mix well. Press mixture into lightly buttered 9-inch pie pan, building up shallow rim. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes, then cool.

Chocolate Topping

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Combine cocoa and sugar in deep narrow bowl. Slowly stir in some cream until mixture is smooth and lump free, then whip in remaining cream. Whip until mixture holds firm peaks.

WRITING WITH CHOCOLATE:

Melt 3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (don’t use milk chocolate; it doesn’t flow well), then stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Let chocolate cool, stirring occasionally, until about body temperature--still fluid but barely warm.

Place chocolate in plastic food bag, close top and cut off tiny bit of corner with sharp scissors or razor blade. Chocolate will fall slowly from hole in thin, easily guidable stream. Gentle pressure will make it fall faster. Don’t squeeze hard or bag will burst. If things are moving too slowly, either reheat chocolate or enlarge hole. If you make a mistake, wait until chocolate hardens and you can pick it right up. Any leftover chocolate may be eaten as candy or saved for other uses.

CHOCOLATE LEAVES:

Any leaf can serve as mold, as long as it isn’t toxic or doesn’t have poisonous sprays on it. Many houseplants are pretty toxic, but begonias and geraniums are fine, and so are common garden items such as roses and pachysandra. Leathery leaves with prominent veins are ideal; they stand up to handling and leave impressive imprints.

Cover baking sheet with wax paper. Melt and cool some bittersweet or semisweet chocolate over low heat as described above under “Writing With Chocolate,” but do not add butter. When chocolate is right temperature, spread in thin layer on underside of leaves--1/16 inch is about right. Take chocolate all the way to edge but not farther. If it wraps over leaf edge, it is likely to break at unmolding time.

Set each leaf on baking sheet, chocolate side up, and chill until firm. To unmold, balance leaf on fingers and gently pull away greenery with other hand.