Chocolate Pie Anyone?

When company is coming over you always want to plan the menu for what your guests like best. My "guests" recently were my brother, sister-in-law, and precious nephew. Since my favorite and only brother doesn't have a sweet tooth, I decided not to try to cater to him in the dessert area. On the other hand, my favorite and only sis-in-law (along with my mother [and I {and most other normal people}]) appreciates chocolate delicacies.

I had yet to find a recipe that did chocolate pie justice (the last one I tried instructed to cook the pudding in the microwave....blah). Ok, so I pieced together my now favorite chocolate pie recipe from three separate and somewhat altered sources. My non-sweets-appreciating brother even enjoyed a slice!

Favorite Chocolate Pie

Crust (Crisco American Pie Celebration, 1989 edition, page 4. Personal adaptations in pink)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons coarse sugar

3/4 cup coconut oil

cold water

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In medium bowl, mix flour, salt, and sugar. Gradually add oil, mixing in with a fork; dough will be very soft. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to form a soft dough ball (if dough becomes too sticky, add flour).

Roll dough out on a heavily floured piece of wax paper. Transfer dough into a 9-in pie plate. With fork, prick lots of holes into dough (prevents bubbles during baking). Cook until flaky (15-20 minutes).

Pudding (Betty Crocker Cookbook, 2005 edition, page 210. Personal adaptations in pink)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup baking coco

1 1/2 cups powdered milk and 2 cups water

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

In large saucepan, mix together all dry ingredients; whisk in water until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until pudding begins to boil and thicken (about 10 minutes). Pour about a cup of mixture into egg yolks and whisk until well blended; pour egg mixture back into remainder of pudding and whisk until smooth. Stirring constantly, boil pudding for 1 minute, or until thick.

Pour into cooked pie shell.

Meringue

4 egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/4 cup fine sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat egg whites until fluffy (once other ingredients have been added, additional volume is impossible; trust me). Beat in cream of tarter. Gradually beat in sugar.

Smooth meringue over pudding, and cook pie until golden brown (10-15 minutes).

Enjoy,