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My recipe makes a luscious and very chocolaty icebox cream pie. With a cooked meringue, there's no need to worry about weeping – simply place it on a chilled pie and off you go! The meringue is also safe from Salmonella poisoning. Go to the Luscious Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe for my other solution to weeping meringue.
PIE RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
One single crust from the Flaky Pie Crust or Pate Brisee Tutorial; follow Modules 1 – 3 and, don't forget to flute the pie crust dough.
Chocolate Custard Cream
2 3/4 cups whole or 2% milk; divided
2 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate; chopped into 1/4-inch evenly sized pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cocoa powder; Natural or Dutch-process
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
Meringue
6 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
INSTRUCTIONS
Chocolate Custard Cream
1. Combine chocolate and 2 cups milk in medium saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture boils. Remove from heat.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, flour, instant espresso powder, salt and cinnamon, if using.
3. In a medium bowl, place the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in 3/4 cup cold milk. Stir into the sugar mixture from Step #2.
4. Pour a small quantity of the cooled milk / chocolate mixture over the yolks, whisking constantly until combined. Repeat. Return the warmed egg yolk mixture back into the milk /chocolate mixture in the saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wire whisk, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.
5. Remove from heat and immediately strain through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl; stir in butter and vanilla until incorporated.
6. Cool the mixture slightly before pouring into the prebaked pie crust; press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Cool; refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours or until firm and set.
Meringue
1. Position the oven shelf to the lower third of the oven and preheat the broiler. Put egg whites, 3/4 cup sugar, and the cream of tartar into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. With a hand-held mixer fitted with beater attachments, beat on low until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 160 degrees F, measured with an Instant Read or Candy Thermometer. Remove from heat.
2. Beat on medium-low speed for 5 minutes. Raise speed, and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes.
3. Spoon onto chilled pie, making sure meringue touches crust. Broil until browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
STORAGE
Store pie in the refrigerator for about a day or two. Meringue pies are meant to be eaten right away!
