Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust
(Makes one 8-inch or six 3-inch tart shells)

Cracker crusts are an essential part of baking home style desserts. They can be varied by using differently flavored graham crackers, by adding a half teaspoonful of cinnamon, by adding a half cupful of ground nuts, or by using different kinds of crisp cookies. You can either grind the graham crackers in a food processor (this is the best way) or put them into a heavy zip top plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin until they are finely crushed. In addition, you can substitute crisp chocolate wafers or the chocolate wafers that are like vanilla wafers. You can also use this recipe for crusts for cheesecakes and as the shells for many other fillings.

1-1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (10-12 double squares)
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set up your mise en place. (See the Helpful Hints section of this web site.) Mix all of the ingredients and press them firmly into the baking dish, being certain that the crumbs come all the way up the sides of the dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

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