Saturday, June 16, 2012

You Haven't Lived Until You Tried My Chocolate Cream Pie! 

I must confess that I am a hopeless chocoholic.  Like a powerful drug, I am drawn to the dark sweetness and usually require a weekly fix.  For those who happen to share my delicious addiction, then you will love this velvety chocolate pie because it is even made better with a fluffy cloud of meringue topping. 

All that is involved is cooking a homemade pudding like filling and turning out into a baked crust and crowned with baked meringue before chilling for a perfect weekend treat.    One piece of this dark delight and you will feel happy again.

You can use your favorite pie crust recipe for a nine-inch pie.  However, I really hope you will try my absolute favorite oil pie crust recipe because it is foolproof.   I have tried many recipes and this is truly the best in my opinion!

Be sure to leave your eggs at room temperature first for an easier task of separating the yolks from the whites.   Attempting to crack cold eggs usually ends up with a bit of yolk in the whites that will deflate the meringue.  

My Best Chocolate Cream Pie

9-inch baked pie shell
1-1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of milk
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
6 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons of margarine (not spread)

Bake your pie shell first.

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt in your saucepan.  Blend the milk and yolks together then gradually add to the mixture in your saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and boils. 

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and margarine.

Pour into your baked pie shell and top with the Meringue Topping below.

Meringue Topping:

4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1/2 cup of sugar

Take out your electric mixer and beat the whites with the cream of tartar.  Gradually add the sugar to the whites while you continue beating until stiff peaks form and all the sugar is used.  Top on filled pie shell and bake at 425 degrees for about five minutes.

Serve chilled.