It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Mama Grace's chocolate pie. I am so delighted that she shared this family-favorite with me before she went to be with Jesus at the ripe old age of 99 3/4! Food equals memories, especially at the holidays. And we can't help but think of her when we eat this pie when we're together. Y'all share your recipes with your people. Stand together in the kitchen and stir them and measure them and serve them and eat them. You'll all be so glad ya did.
MAMA GRACE’S CHOCOLATE PIE
{with or without meringue}
Makes one 8-9” pie
One unbaked pie dough round, either homemade or storebought
1 cup sugar
½ cup flour
1 12oz can evaporated milk plus enough whole milk to make 3 cups total
2oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 eggs, separated (plus one more white if you’re making meringue)
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1 ½ tsp vanilla
-for the meringue-
5 egg whites, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cream of tartar
7 Tbs sugar
In a standard pie dish (not a deep or oversized pie dish), blind bake a pie crust at 450F for 10 minutes with pie weights, then remove the weights and bake another 3-5 minutes until the crust looks golden and no longer wet-looking. Turn off oven, remove and set aside.
In a 3qt saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and milk. Whisk together. Add chopped chocolate. Over medium high heat, whisk until chocolate melts and the mixture gets thick and bubbly, as long as 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Spoon about ½ cup of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly to temper the eggs. Add the yolks/chocolate mixture to the saucepan, stir well. Return pot to medium heat and allow to bubble up and simmer for about 2 minutes or so until nice and thick. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into the baked pie shell.
You may choose NOT to top your pie with meringue. If that’s the case, then at this point you may allow the pie to cool at room temperature then chill in the refrigerator for four hours before cutting and serving with homemade whipped cream! OR if you’d like to top with meringue, then keep reading...
Turn the oven on to 350F. In a mixer, combine 5 egg whites, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk on medium high until soft peaks form. With mixer on medium high, add all of the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Then turn mixer to high and whisk for 2-3 minutes until glossy, fluffy, stick peaks form. Pile meringue in the middle of the pie, spreading gently to the outer edges, making sure to seal the meringue to the pie crust which will help keep the meringue from shrinking. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Allow pie to cool entirely on the counter 1-2 hours. Refrigerate uncovered in the refrigerator. Serve cooled. Cut with a wet, sharp knife.
Alternately, you might wish to serve the chocolate pie with homemade whipped cream. Find that recipe in our recipe archives.
