As bakers, we all have our “arch nemesis” dessert…that one cake or pie that just never turns out the way you want it to no matter how many different techniques or varieties you try. For me, it’s German chocolate cake (ironically, my husband, Zach’s, favorite!) but for my mom, it’s Grandma’s chocolate meringue pie.
I’ll never forget the day Mom attempted her last-ditch “chocolate pie” effort. Dad and I had witnessed the head to head battle between Mom and her chocolate pie on many, many prior occasions, so of course we were anxiously awaiting what we hoped would be the crowning glory of chocolate pies, something so perfect, all the failed attempts would be but a bad dream. After what seemed like hours, Mom finally emerged from the kitchen with one of the most beautiful pies I’ve ever seen...perfectly golden crust, caramelized meringue peaks, the whole nine yards…it was spectacular!
One quick glance at Mom though and we knew something wasn’t right. She proceeded to silently (and forcefully) drop the pie on the coffee table and then to our utter surprise, she scooped up a handful of that seemingly perfect pie and we watched as the un-solidified chocolate pudding mixture dripped from her hand and formed a nice little liquid pool right in the center of the pie. After a brief moment of shock, we started laughing hysterically and Dad and I both dug in, bare hands and all. It sure tasted great even though it looked a bit of a mess by the time we finished with it.
So, the moral of the story: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again…and if you still fail, oh well! In the words of the great Julia Child “never apologize”. Just because something doesn’t look perfect, doesn’t mean it still won’t taste great.
Chocolate Pie Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cocoa
3 cups milk
4 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Technique:
Separate egg yolks from whites; set aside whites. In medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, cocoa, and milk and cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Once mixture begins to bubble and thicken, cook for 2 more minutes and remove from heat. Beat yolks and gradually add about one cup of hot mixture to egg yolks. Return egg mixture to saucepan and continue cooking on medium-low heat until it reaches a gentle boil; cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Once butter has melted, pour mixture into pre-baked piecrust. Top with meringue and bake at 325 for 15 minutes or until meringue is browned. Let pie cool completely before serving.
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Technique:
Beat egg whites on high speed until frothy. Gradually add sugar while continuing to beat constantly. Beat for approximately 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
6 tablespoons butter, chilled
2 tablespoons lard, chilled
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cold water in spray bottle
Technique:
Cut butter and lard into small cubes and chill in freezer for 15 minutes. Combine flour and salt in food processor and pulse 6 times to mix. Add chilled butter and pulse 8 times. Add chilled lard and pulse 8 more times. Spritz mixture with water until damp and pulse 5 times. Continue adding water until dough holds together when squeezed.
Form dough into rounded disc and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out to 10 – 11 inches and place in greased pie pan. Pinch and trim edges as needed.
If recipe calls for pre-baked crust, blind bake until golden brown. For information on blind baking and other helpful tips, check out Alton Brown's piecrust recipe.
Brittany’s Tips
Okay, so this was my very first chocolate meringue pie and I have to say, I’m quite pleased with the way it turned out. Here are a few pointers I picked up along the way:
- Feel free to use a store bought piecrust, although Alton Brown has a foolproof technique that I’ve used for the past few years. Check it out here. I especially like his method of rolling out the dough; it’s very efficient and keeps your kitchen counter much cleaner. (However, for blind baking, I suggest using foil instead of parchment paper.)
- Meringues can be finicky. The egg whites peak best when they are at room temperature. Once you start making the meringue, don’t stop halfway through. Be ready to continue mixing until you get to the desired consistency. If you don’t like meringue, you can always substitute whipped cream instead, BUT please, please make your own…it’s so easy and infinitely better than Cool Whip.
- Be careful to use a large enough piece of parchment paper when pre-baking the crust so you can easily lift out dry beans after the first 10 minutes of baking. (I almost had a near disaster this time and subsequently ended up picking lots of beans out of the crust midway through the baking process…not fun!)
- Remember, the filling is already cooked, so you’re really just looking to get a nice golden brown color on your meringue when you bake it at the end. If you are using whipped cream, skip the oven time and just let the pie cool completely before topping it with the whipped cream.
- It is VITALLY important to wait until the pie is completely cool before cutting it. If you have the urge to dig in immediately, picture the middle of your beautiful pie underneath a puddle of chocolate because you run the risk of not allowing it to set all the way. Be patient, give it a few hours, you’ll be so glad you did!
I hope you all enjoy the long weekend and might I suggest rounding out your Memorial Day meal with a chocolate pie of your own! Good luck and feel free to ask questions or post your own tips and tricks.
Happy Baking!
Happy Baking!
