Fudge Bottom Pudding Cream Pie. Opry Recipe Contest.

A graham crust holding rich chocolate ganache and a creamy vanilla filling. Can be made ahead. Delicious beyond words.

You want to make this pie. It is definitely a winner.

Speaking of winners, I wanted to pass along information for this dessert recipe contest.

THE GRAND OLE OPRY CELEBRATES UPCOMING 86TH BIRTHDAY WITH DESSERT RECIPE CONTEST

Country Legend George Jones Will Pick the Winner During His 80th Birthday Celebration at the Opry on September 13, 2011

The Grand Ole Opry along with the new Opry Backstage Grill are looking for a delicious dessert recipe from Opry fans to share during the Opry’s upcoming 86th Birthday Celebration.

Fans should submit recipes by September 2, 2011. Then share their recipe link with friends and ask them to vote on their recipe by September 9, 2011. The three recipes with the most votes and highest ranking from fan voting will be prepared by a professional chef and judged by country music legend George Jones during his 80th birthday celebration at the Opry on September 13!

The grand prize winner will receive a trip to Nashville for the Opry’s 86th Birthday Celebration on October 7-8, 2011 including airfare for two, two-night accommodations at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, dinner at the Opry Backstage Grill, tickets to the Grand Ole Opry featuring Rascal Flatts, tickets to the Opry Birthday Concert starring Mel Tillis and more. The winning recipe could also be featured on the Opry Backstage Grill menu for a limited time.

For more information and to enter click HERE.

Now let’s make some pie.

Fudge Bottom Pudding Cream Pie

Ingredients for crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/8 cup pconfectioners’ sugar
1½ Tbs melted butter

Ingredients for ganache:

1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, plus some more to use to garnish the pie with shavings.
1/2 pint heavy cream

Ingredients for filling:

2 (3.4 oz size) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
1 pint heavy cream
1 pint light cream

Directions:

1. To make crust: Mix sugar and graham cracker crumbs together in a bowl. Melt the butter and add to the crumb mixture. Press into a 9″ pie plate and freeze until needed.

2. To make the chocolate ganache: Chop the chocolate and place into a medium bowl. Pour the heavy cream into a small small saucepan and cook over medium high heat until scalded (slightly bubbling) but not boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes, then whisk the mixture until the cream is completely incorporated. The chocolate should be smooth with no lumps. Cool slightly.

3. To make filling: Pour creams into a large mixing bowl. Add pudding mix. Whip until firm peaks form.

4. To assemble the pie: Pour the melted chocolate ganache evenly into the frozen graham cracker crust and freeze until the ganache is firm, about 1 – 1½ hours. Spoon the vanilla filling into the pie pan over the frozen ganache, mounding it and swirling the filling with your spoon. Garnish with chocolate shavings. (I had these curls on hand so that is what I used)

5. Freeze pie uncovered for about 4 to 5 hours, until completely frozen (If freezing longer, wrap the frozen pie tightly with plastic wrap).

6. Semi-thaw the pie in the refrigerator to slice. Thaw slices completely to serve. (Here’s a good tip: Cut slices of semi frozen pie at the beginning of the meal and it should be thawed, but cold, by dessert time).

Recipe from RecipeCircus.com