I watched Grandma Carrie make chocolate pie many times but never got her recipe. A recipe from our church cookbook is just like I remember– thickened with flour instead of cornstarch. Tweaking the recipe to include cooking in the microwave does not shorten the time to make it, it just prevents scorching the cream filling.
Chocolate Cream Pie
Servings 2 pies
Equipment
- 2 pie pans
- 1 wire whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup flour
- 4 tablespoon cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups whole milk
- 5 each eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 each baked pie crusts
- 1 recipe Swiss Meringue
- 1 teaspoon chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
- Combine sugar, flour, cocoa and salt in microwave safe bowl. Stir to break up cocoa lumps.
- Warm milk in microwave for 2 minutes. Add to mixture and stir with a wire whisk to blend.
- Microwave on high at 2 minute intervals until thickened, stirring well in between.
- Separate egg yolks from the whites. Slightly beat the yolks then blend in a few spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture to temper the yolks. Add the yolk mixture to the chocolate cream mixture and blend well. Microwave for an additional two minutes then add remaining vanilla and butter stirring until blended.
- Pour into baked pie shells and top with meringue made from the egg whites. Bake in a 400 degree F. oven until slightly brown. Top with a few chocolate sprinkles to identify it as a chocolate pie.
Pie Crust
A flaky crust made with butter
Servings 16
Equipment
- 2 pie plates or pans
- 1 Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter unsalted
- 2 2/3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Place flour and salt in a bowl.
- Grate cold butter, a little at a time, over flour. Toss the butter into the flour every few minutes to prevent the butter from sticking together.
- Sprinkle cold water over the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the dough starts forming a ball.
- Divide the dough in half and place on floured pastry board or counter. Roll dough into a circle to fit pie plate. Sprinkle a little more flour over pastry if it sticks to the rolling pin.
- Fold dough over and lift into pan. Press dough to fit pan. Fold top edge under and flute. Prick bottom and sides of shell with a fork to prevent shrinkage. Repeat with remaining dough.
- For a baked pie shell, heat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Swiss Meringue
Servings 16
Equipment
- 1 stainless steel mixing bowl
- 1 saucepan
- 1 wire whisk
Ingredients
- 6 each egg whites no yolk or fat can be in whites
- 12 tablespoons sugar
- dash cream of tartar
Instructions
- Add 1 inch of water to saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Combine egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a stainless steel mixing bowl and place over simmering water.
- Stir constantly with a wire whisk or the beaters of the electric mixer until sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is slightly warm. Test by rubbing mixture between two fingers.
- Remove from saucepan and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Spread meringue on top of pie filling. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. until meringue is browned.
Notes
“Weeping” is the watery liquid that often collects under the meringue and causes the pie to be soggy. This is caused by the sugar not dissolving completely. High humidity also does not help. The Swiss method of dissolving the sugar in warm egg whites helps to prevent weeping.
