Friday, December 6, 2013

Rosie Makes A Birthday Pie For Middle Hawthorne.

 Whenever one of my Hawthornelets
has a birthday,
I let him or her pick out whatever cake they want
and I will make it.

Middle Hawthorne always picks chocolate pie.

This is a pie for chocolate lovers.
  It's intense.

I must admit I cheated and used a store-bought pie crust.
If you're not going to make your own pie dough,
I recommend the crusts that come rolled up and 2 to a box,
not the crusts that come in the tins.

 Chocolate Pie
1 baked pie crust

Filling:
3 yolks 
(Reserve whites for meringue
and leave them out so they come to room temperature.)
 1 1/2 TB cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1 TB butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract

In medium saucepan,
beat yolks, cornstarch, and sugar.
Stir in cream, milk, salt, and butter.
Cook over medium low heat, 
stirring constantly, about 5-6 minutes.
Break chocolate squares into pieces
and drop into bubbling mixture.
Stir until chocolate is melted and well-blended.
Stir in vanilla.
Remove from heat and place plastic wrap
touching the surface of the chocolate and refrigerate.

Meringue:
3 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
6 TB sugar

I like to have my egg whites at room temperature.
You get a better volume at room temp
than you do with cold eggs. 

Beat egg whites.
When soft peaks form when the beater
is lifted out of the batter,
add in the salt and cream of tartar.
Pour in sugar, one tablespoon at a time, 
beating until meringue forms firm, glossy peaks.

Heat oven to 375°.
Spoon cooled chocolate filling into cooled pie shell,
spreading it evenly.
Spoon meringue over top,
leaving it in decorative swirls and peaks.
Bake for 12 minutes or so
until meringue is delicately browned.
Cool and refrigerate before serving.

Enjoy!

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