Chocolate Pie - A Family Favorite

One of our family's ultimate favorite desserts is this Chocolate Pie!  I have to take it to just about every family function.  Both of my girls like it, the old man likes it, and I LOVE it!  Various other interluders in our family (once married into the family or boyfriends and now exes also love it LOL!).  I always  bring home a completely empty pie plate when I make this.

I referenced this Chocolate Pie in my post about this Lemon Meringue Pie:

I got this recipe from a beloved friend at the first law office I worked at.  Jamilee lives on as I remember her each and every time I make one of her pies.  Jamilee's meringue would have stretched high to the heavens but I haven't quite mastered the art of a tall meringue. 

I personally LOVE meringue but the other members of my family do not so I make my chocolate pies usually without meringue.  Once in a great while I will do my best to put meringue on it.  I highly recommend putting meringue on Chocolate Pie if you like it as it makes this pie completely over the top and gives it that old timey feeling!  YUM!

Here's how I make Chocolate Pie AT HOME MY WAY:

Chocolate Pie

• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 5 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 5 Tablespoons cocoa
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks (no whites)
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla  (I sit the bottle of vanilla in my baked pie crust so that I don't forget to add it.)
• Prebaked pie crust

Instructions:

(With the burner OFF), in a med/small saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, salt.  Stir well.

In a measuring cup, measure the 2 cups cold milk.  Add the 2 egg yolks (no whites!).  Blend to stir to fully incorporate the egg yolks.

Dump the milk/egg mixture in the pot with the dry ingredients.  Stir with a whisk to blend as well as you can.

Turn the burner on medium.  Stir often (almost continuously until it starts to bubble/simmer).  I use a whisk the entire time.  The pudding will try to stick so keep stirring!

Once it starts to bubble, set a timer for 2 minutes.  You may have to turn the burner down so that it doesn't simmer too hard.  Stir continuously and vigorously back and forth with the whisk.

After 2 minutes, remove from the burner.  Stir well and add the vanilla.  Stir well until all vanilla is incorporated and the pudding is smooth.

Dump into the baked pie crust.  (Hint:  Sometimes I don't want to heat up my oven for this pie.  If you place your crust in a micro-proof (glass) pie plate, you can bake it in the microwave by cooking on high 3-5 minutes or until is it done. I check every minute or so.)  Remember to prick your unbaked crust with lots of holes with a fork so that it has room to expand as it bakes.)

My pie crusts aren't pretty but they are delicious and are usually homemade. 


Recipe for Meringue (optional):

• 2-3 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 4-6 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

Instructions:

 

Beat room temp egg whites (two from the pie or use three for a bigger meringue) until foamy and soft peaks will form.  

 

Add 2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar per egg white.  (If you are using two egg whites, use four Tablespoons of sugar; if you are using three egg whites, use six Tablespoons of sugar).  

 

Continue beating with electric mixer on high.  Add the sugar a little at a time - not all at once. I use three egg whites for a nicer, taller meringue.  (I'm not a pro at meringue by the way....)  Beat until stiff peaks form.  

 

Slowly fold in vanilla.  Pour over hot pie filling in crust. Spread to touch edges of crust.  Fluff it with the back of a spoon to create nice peaks in the meringue.

Place in preheated oven 350 for approximately 10 minutes or until meringue starts to get tan on the peaks.

Enjoy!

 

Gina

Come see my link for this recipe

along with a bunch of other great cooks at: