Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate and fold the edges in to make the edge double thick, then using your knuckles or thumbs, flute the edge. Place back in the refrigerator after forming until later in this recipe so the dough stays firm.

Chop the nuts fine and toast in a small saute pan over medium heat. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the water to a boil, then shut off the burner and add the chocolate. Stir with spoon until melted.

Add sugar and bring back to a boil. As soon as it boils, remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. If the butter doesn’t melt, heat the pan back up for a few seconds until the butter melts. Stir and set the pan aside.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter then add sugar and beat for one minute.

Add the egg and beat to combine. Scrape and beat again.

Alternate adding the milk and dry with the mixer running then add in the vanilla and beat to combine. Scrape and beat again.

Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator and scrape in the cake layer batter, smoothing the top.

Stir the chocolate mixture once then pour over the cake layer.

Sprinkle the nuts over the top and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Ours was perfect at exactly 45 minutes. As it bakes, the chocolate sinks and the cake rises. (They basically swap places).

Cool and cut into eight wedges and serve with whipped cream.

While the pie is cooling, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and serve over each piece.

Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator.