Chocolate Cream Pie

My Lynchburg Sister uses this chocolate creme pie recipe every time she makes a chocolate pie. She got the recipe from a Betty Crocker Cookbook that she received while in High School. This is my first time to make this particular pie.

You will need:

1 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

3 slightly beaten egg yolks

4 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 Tablespoons cocoa

1 9 inch baked pie crust

Begin by mixing the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan.

Gradually stir in the milk.

I like to use a whisk for the stirring.

Cook and stir this mixture over medium heat until it boils and thickens. Then, cook 2 minutes longer.

Go ahead and separate 3 eggs.

Slightly beat the egg yolks.

Set the whites aside for the meringue.

Beat a small amount of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks. This is called tempering the eggs. You don't want cooked egg in your pie...

Return this yolk/chocolate mixture back to the saucepan. Cook 2 more minutes; stirring constantly.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the melted butter and the vanilla. Mix well.

Allow the baked pie crust and the filling time to cool to room temperature.

Then, pour the filling into the crust.

Now, it is time to make meringue.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

You only need:

egg whites

6 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

The secret to meringue is letting the eggs come to room temperature. They usually do this as you are making the pie. I usually add an extra egg white when I am separating the eggs to make my meringue a little taller.