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Nana's Chocolate Meringue Pie!


My mother's chocolate pie is a big favorite.  For a lot of years now, it's what I always ask for on my birthday instead of a cake.  Her chocolate pie has just the right amount of chocolate...not too much and not too little.  The meringue is also very good and light and fluffy.  I don't care for meringue pies when the meringue is too thick and dense.   I think people are a little intimidated to try to make a meringue pie and there are a few keys to it being successful, but it's not all that hard if you know the tips.   Well, I got the advice of the best pie maker I know today...my mother!  The key tips to making this successfully are in the bold type! 


Bake your pie shell just until it is starting to brown.  Remove from oven to cool slightly.


You are going to need three eggs and they need to be at room temperature, so set those out ahead of time to lose their chill.   Then separate the yolks from the whites.  Put the yolks in either a microwave safe mixing bowl or a pan (if you do the stovetop method).  Put the whites in a glass or stainless steel bowl that is clean and dry.  If there is any moisture or anything in the bowl, it will ruin your meringue. 


Beat the egg yolks slightly, add 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup powdered unsweetened cocoa, 1/3 cup cornstarch, 2 1/2 cup milk, and a dash of salt.  Stir together and microwave for 3 minutes.  Remove and whisk well to remove any lumps.  Microwave on high for another 4 mintues.  Remove and whisk again until smooth.  Add 1 Tbs. butter and 1 tsp. vanilla and whisk until melted.  


You can mix and cook the pie filling on the stovetop, but it is much easier in the microwave and doesn't stick or burn as easily.  If you do it on the stove. whisk almost constantly until it bubbles then turn it down to low and cook for two minutes.  You need to keep it moving in the pan with the whisk almost constantly. Add the butter and vanilla at the very end.


Pour the filling into the pie shell.



For the meringue, add 1 tsp. of baking powder to the egg whites and start to beat the whites with an electric mixer on high.  Gradually add in 4 Tbs. of sugar, continuing to beat.  When stiff peaks start to form (this takes some time) add in 1 tsp. of corn starch and 1 tsp. of vanilla.  Don't go too heavy on the vanilla or it will change the color of your meringue or use the colorless.


This is what the meringue looks like when it's stiff enough. 



Spread the meringue over the pie filling and be sure to go to the edges of the crust and seal it.  This is a very important tip when making a meringue pie, because if you don't seal the edges of meringue around the edge of the crust, your meringue will sink in and not stand up tall on the pie when you brown it.  Place it in a preheated 350 degree oven for 13 - 15 minutes just until slightly browned. 



See how easy that was!!!



Ingredients:

Pie Filling
1 10" pie shell
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup cocoa
2 1/2 cups milk
dash salt
1 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Meringue
3 egg whites
1 tsp. baking powder
4 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. vanilla


24 comments:

  1. I`m cooking your squash casserole tonight so wish me luck.Do you have a recipe for egg custard pie or the custard dishes? Granmama in Miss. used to make them and nobody does anymore.

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  2. Good luck, Fred. Hope it was great! My mother has my great aunts recipe for egg custard pie. We will make and it and post it soon.

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  3. This Pie is the Bomb, I have had this same recipe for years and it's a Hit everywhere I take it too!

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  4. Thank you so much for this recipe. My grannie made the best chocolate pie from memory so it wasnt written any where. I have tried others and failed. This recipe looks familiar from watching her all those years ago.

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    1. Same for me but my aunt always made it and never had a recipe . It was Soooo delicious. I too have tried other recipes but none really come close to hers! rigor this is it

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    2. Sounds great, as chocolate is my favorite pie! Only difference is I use about 1/4 tsp. of cream of tarter instead of cornstarch in my meringue.. Do you realize what a lovely meringue using it and 10X sugar makes? Try it sometime. It doesn't weep like granulated sugar does and it stands so stately atop this pie.. I love this site! It is so helpful and always scrumptious new recipes on here. Thanks..

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  5. Almost identical to my great-grandmother's recipe! It's the absolute best!!

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  6. If you don't put the meringue on top, do you have to bake it?

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    1. Bake the pie crust before you add the chocolate filling. After pouring in filling, top with meringue and bake until brown

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  7. My mother made this pie and it was always a favorite. She never used a recipe and I had her make it and measure as she did. The microwave directions are great, cant wait to use them. Thanks!

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  8. Sometimes when I bake a choc meringue pie, I streak the baked pie shell with thin layers of peanut butter. Just enough that some bites will have it and some will not.

    Another variance is to substitute kahlua for the vanilla in the meringue. I do not mind if the meringue on my choc pie is less than pristine white :)

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  9. how do you seal a meringue?

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    1. When you put the meringue on the top of the pie,make sure it goes all the way to the crust and touches it or in other words, "seals"...(just make sure no chocolate can be seen between the meringue and the crust or it will not be "puffy" it will fall.)

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  10. BEST CHOCOLATE MERINGUE PIE EVER!!!

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  11. Can't wait to try this yummmmmmy

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  12. Don't let you eggs come to room temperature BEFORE you separate them, they separate better if COLD. THEN let the yolks and the whites come to room temperatute separately.

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    Replies
    1. Wow! Thanks for this tip. I've got to try! :)

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  13. My grandmother made this pie too, but her version was 3 tbls of flour instead of corn starch, a can of condensed milk(with enough water to make 2 cups) and egg whites and sugar only for the meringue. We make this pie every holiday in honor of her. I will have to try out your recipe!

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  14. For a little nutty taste ad a teaspoon of peanut butter

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  15. Can I use skim milk in place of whole milk?

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  16. Does it make any difference if the chocolate pie filling is cooled completely? Or if it is still warm?

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    1. It doesn't matter you don't have to cool it.

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