Chocolate Almond Chiffon Pie

9 inch baked pie shell or cookie pie shell (recipe below)

1/3 C. blanched, toasted and cooled almonds

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 C. cold water

2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate

1/2 t. almond extract

2/3 C. sugar

1/4 t. salt

1/2 C. hot milk

1 t. vanilla

1 pint heavy cream

1/2 t. salt

3 T. ground, blanched almonds

Whipped cream, for decoration

Spread the bottom of a pie crust with the 1/3 cup almonds; set aside.

Place gelatin in the cold water for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler with the almond extract. Stir in sugar, salt and hot milk. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until thoroughly blended. Add softened gelatin and stir until dissolved -- cool.

When the custard begins to thicken, add the vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until very light. Whip the cream with the salt. Fold the cream into the custard along with the 3 tablespoons blanched ground almonds. Pour filling into pie shell and chill. Decorate pie with whipped cream.

Crust:

1/2 C. salted butter

3 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 C. chocolate wafer cookie crumbs, about 7 oz.

Butter 9-inch pie dish. Stir butter and chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Mix in cookie crumbs. Press onto bottom and up sides of prepared dish. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.