Grandma’s Chocolate Meringue Pie

Name: Grandma's Chocolate Meringue Pie
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Ingredients: Dough for single-crust pie; 3/4 cup sugar; 5 tablespoons baking cocoa; 3 tablespoons cornstarch; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 cups whole milk; 3 large egg yolks, room temperature, beaten; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; MERINGUE:; 4 large egg whites, room temperature; 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 1/2 cup sugar

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 15 min. + chilling YIELD: 8 servings.

My grandmother served this old fashioned chocolate pie recipe after Sunday dinner each week, usually with an apology it was "too runny" or something else was wrong with it. Of course, grandma's chocolate pie was never less than perfect! – Donna Vest Tilley, Chesterfield, Virginia

Ingredients

Dough for single-crust pie
3/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons baking cocoa
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
3 large egg yolks, room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
MERINGUE:
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

Directions

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edges are light golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 350°.
3. For meringue, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until stiff, glossy and sugar is dissolved.
4. In a saucepan, mix sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt; gradually add milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir about 1 cup of the hot filling into the egg yolks. Return to saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Pour hot filling into pie crust.
5. Immediately spread meringue evenly over hot filling, sealing meringue to pie crust. Bake until meringue is golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until set, 1-2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 382 calories, 16g fat (9g saturated fat), 105mg cholesterol, 286mg sodium, 54g carbohydrate (35g sugars, 1g fiber), 8g protein.