Silken textured cream pies, flavored with spirits and ruffled with whipped cream are definitely not everyday desserts. For special menus, however, extravagant endings are most appropriate. Here is the first of two pies (Rum Cream Pie will be the next installment) that are sure to rate rave reviews. Both should be made ahead and chilled before serving.

2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
5 oz. semi-sweet or milk chocolate, cut up
1/4 cup flour
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup whipping cream
9-inch baked pie shell

Combine 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar, and chocolate in saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until chocolate melts. Beat remaining 1/2 cup milk, flour, and egg yolks in a bowl, using a wire whip, until very smooth.

Gradually whip in about half of the hot mixture, then return the bowl’s entire contents to remaining hot mixture in the saucepan. Cook, stirring all the while, until it thickens and boils. Boil gently, stirring vigorously with a wire whip, for one minute. Stir in vanilla.

Cover surface of chocolate mixture with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill. Whip cream. Fold 3/4 of the cream into chocolate mixture. Turn into pie shell. Pipe or dollop remaining cream on top. Garnish with grated or shaved chocolate. Chill before cutting.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.