I was inspired to make a chocolate cream pie after listening to “Swingin” (written by John Anderson) and performed by the incomparable The Mavericks. I love this rendition of this song with Raul Malo. Makes me smile every time I listen to it.

“Her brother was on the sofa eating chocolate pie” is the line that sent me craving chocolate pie.

Here’s a non-refined sugar rendition of traditional chocolate cream pie. We had it today and it’s GOOD!

Honey-Sweetened Chocolate Cream Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup honey (I used 1/4 honey and 1/4 agave syrup)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2-3 bananas

Separate egg yolks into a small bowl, stir to break yolks and set aside. In a saucepan whisk honey, cornstarch, cocoa, and milk together. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until boiling. Turn down the heat and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add 1 spoonful at a time of the pudding mixture to the egg yolk, mixing completely between each addition. When the egg yolk mixture is warm, add it to the saucepan. Return to heat and stir constantly until it boils for one minute.

Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.

Cool until lukewarm.

Pour lukewarm pudding into the pre-cooked and cooled-down pie shell

Refrigerate.

When cool, add whipped cream topping.

Honey or Agave-Sweetened Whipped Cream

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons of honey or agave syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Place all three ingredients in a chilled mixing bowl and whip on high speed until the cream gets stiff and forms swirls.