Chocolate Almond Nugget Pie

This is a variation I came up with on the Caramel Nut Pie (in another post).  I think just about anything would be good with these filling ingredients.  I used the same filling, but varied the toppings that go between the layers and on top.

Ingredients:

(Makes 2 pies)

2 baked pie shells (see pie pastry in another post)

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk

16 oz. container Cool Whip

1/2 cup toasted almonds or 1/4 cup if using salted almonds, roughly chopped

1/2 cup chocolate almond candy bar, chopped

chocolate ice cream topping

Toast the almonds in the oven or buy them already toasted.  Chop almonds and candy bars and set aside.

 In a large mixer bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth, then fold in thawed Cool Whip.

To assemble the pies, place 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of each pie shell then top each of these layers with 1/4 of the chopped candy bars and chopped almonds, then drizzle with chocolate topping.  I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate topping.  This is a thick topping and it won’t drizzle off the end of a spoon.   To make it easier to drizzle, place topping in a ziplock bag and cut off the corner to squeeze out and drizzle.

Repeat layers and top the pie with the chopped almonds, candy bar, and chocolate drizzle.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until set.