When I was a kid, my mum made this amazing chocolate mud pie, which was my favourite dessert and I suspect led to ongoing chocolate obsession that still rules my life to this day. I don’t see this as a bad thing.

She made it on a semi-regular basis for a few years and then inexplicably, forgot the recipe. Classic ‘my mother’. If you’re reading this mum, you know it’s true.

Anyway, fast forward to last year where she sent me the recipe for this mud pie, which she says is at least extremely similar to the one she used to make. The resulting pie is pretty much identical to how I remember, so I call this experiment a complete success.

Ingredients

• 250g digestive biscuits
• 100g butter, melted

• 75g caster sugar
• 30ml corn flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 450ml milk
• 1 tbsp coffee granules
• 1 tbsp powdered gelatine
• 150ml double cream
• 150ml double cream, lightly whipped
• grated chocolate

Instructions

1. To make the base, butter and line an 8 inch loose-bottomed tin with baking parchment. Put the digestive biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, then pour over the melted butter. Mix thoroughly until the crumbs are completely coated. Tip them into the prepared tin and press firmly down into the base to create an even layer. Chill in the fridge for 1 hr to set firmly.
2. Beat the sugar, cornflour and egg yolks together. Pour the milk into a sauce pan and heat almost to boiling point. Pour over the mixture, return to the pan and then cook over a low heat until thickened. Stir in the coffee and melted chocolate, then transfer to a bowl.
3. Sprinkle gelatine over 2tbsp water in a small jug or bowl. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved and the liquid is clear. Whisk into the mixture.
4. When still slightly warm, beat in the cream and then pour onto the biscuit base, then chill. Transfer to a serving plate once set and decorate with the whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa.