Kahlúa Pie

1-1/4 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 squares semisweet chocolate (2 ounces)
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup Kahlúa
2 egg whites
1 9-inch pie shell, baked and cooled
chopped toasted almonds

Beat the whipping cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff. Refrigerate.

Combine the egg yolks and sugar in top of double boiler. Place over simmering water. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave in a glass measuring cup (90 seconds on high; allow to sit for 1 minute; stir to smooth), add 1/4 cup lukewarm water to the cup and again stir until smooth. Stir the melted chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture.

Continue to cook mixture in double boiler, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.

Combine gelatin with 1/4 cup cold water. Add to thickened chocolate mixture. Stir well and remove from heat. Add Kahlúa. Place pan with mixture in a bowl of ice water to cool.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. When chocolate mixture cools and thickens, gently fold in half of the whipped cream, then fold in the egg whites. Refrigerate the remaining whipped cream.

Pile chocolate mixture into the pie shell; chill. Top pie with remaining whipped cream and almonds. Makes one pie.

Prep time: 35 minutes; Cooking time: 5 minutes; Total time: 35 minutes