COUNTY FAIR CHOCOLATE PIE

County Fair Chocolate Pie image

Provided by Maddie Bell

Categories Pies

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 17

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FOR THE PIE FILLING:
1 1/4 c white sugar
1/2 c plain all-purpose flour
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 dash(es) salt
4 large eggs, separated
2 c whole milk
1/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 9 inch pie shell, baked
FOR THE MERINGUE TOPPING:
4 egg whites, reserved from making pie filling
1 Tbsp corn starch, plus enough cold water to moisten corn starch
1/2 c boiling water
6 Tbsp white sugar
1 pinch salt
2 squares milk chocolate

Steps:

1. FOR THE PIE FILLING: Combine sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium saucepan. Set aside.
2. Combine milk and egg yolks, whisking thoroughly. Stir egg/milk mixture into dry ingredients well, then drop in butter.
3. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY till mixture thickens and boils. (just keep stirring...it will eventually thicken!)
4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
5. Pour evenly into pre-baked pie shell. Set on cooling rack while you prepare the meringue topping.
6. FOR THE MERINGUE TOPPING: Moisten corn starch with a small amount of cold water in a medium saucepan. Not too runny, but there should be no dry corn starch.
7. Stir the boiling water into the moistened corn starch.
8. Cook over medium heat until thick and clear. (Be patient, it will happen.) Set pan aside and let thickened corn starch cool.
9. Beat egg whites in a chilled bowl until soft peaks are formed. Add salt, then add sugar gradually, beating briefly between additions.
10. Beat in the cooked and cooled corn starch mixture until meringue forms stiff peaks.
11. Spoon over cooled (or nearly cooled) pie, swirling artfully into delicate peaks. Brown in oven set to 375 F, keeping a constant watch as it can burn quickly.
12. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before chilling in refrigerator.
13. To serve, grate milk chocolate over pie before cutting. Keep covered and store in refrigerator.