Chocolate Meringue Pie

I know, I know.  Another pie.  We love a good pie at our house.  And this, my friends, is a good pie.  

I'm doing another pie today for my Daddy.  He's celebrating a very special day this week, and if I were there in my old hometown, I'd make it for him.  From what I know, Daddy's favorite pies are chocolate pudding pie and lemon meringue pie.  So when I found this recipe, it looked like the perfect combination of the two. 

The filling is a little different from a cooked pudding filling.  It's a little more dark-chocolatey and a little less milky.  It's perfectly decadent without being too rich to enjoy a good-sized piece!

Start by combining the sugar, cocoa, flour and salt (and milk powder, if using) in the bottom of a saucepan.  

Mix it all together before adding the liquid.

Mix your egg yolks together with milk (or water, if using milk powder).

Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and stir.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.  It won't really boil before it starts to thicken, so watch it carefully.  You may see one or two bubbles surface, but once it gets good and thick, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour it into a prebaked pie crust.

To prepare the meringue, beat egg whites until frothy and bubbly.  Then add sugar and vanilla.

Continue to mix until you form stiff peaks.

Spread egg whites onto pie, spreading meringue all the way to the crust.  No peek-a-boo with the filling!  (My meringue was a little over-whipped.  Don't be like me.)

Bake until meringue becomes golden.

Allow to cool at room temperature for 2-3 hours before refrigerating.  Chill several hours before serving.

Chocolate Meringue Pie
slightly adapted from yourhomebasedmom.com

1 prebaked 9" pie crust
1 cup sugar
3 heaping T cocoa
2 heaping T flour
pinch salt
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups milk (or 1/4 cup milk powder + 1 1/2 cups water)
1 tsp vanilla

for the meringue:
3 egg whites
3 T sugar
few drops vanilla

Combine sugar, cocoa, flour and salt (and milk powder, if using) in medium saucepan.  Mix together milk (or water) and egg yolks.  Pour egg mixture into cocoa mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken.  Do not boil.  Stir in 1 tsp vanilla, and pour into prepared pie crust.  For the meringue, beat egg whites with electric mixer until frothy.  Pour in sugar and vanilla, and continue to mix until stiff peaks form.  Spread over pie filling, all the way to the crust.  Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden.  Cool at room temperature 2-3 hours before refrigerating.  Chill before serving.