Chocolate Cream Pie - Week 42

The most basic of pies sometimes exposes the cook.

It's been a long year of cooking, baking, documenting, and eating pie.  Week 42 was a point where I found myself in over my head. I did fix the pie, but I took it to a potluck and didn't get a finished picture of it. Honestly, it didn't turn out very well. I had found myself trying to do too many things all at once and it had lumps in the filling. It had a good taste, but it was kind of embarrassing that after all of that pie practice that it didn't turn out.  

Crazy thing is, earlier in the year; I had made a perfect chocolate meringue pie that turned out beautiful. I hadn't taken pictures of it at that time because it wasn't on my schedule yet. 

Anyways, there is proof I made it. I have pictures to document the beginning stages, but it didn't get a final picture.

Most recipes are similar, except that some use flour, and others use corn starch. I've had both, and I can taste the difference, but I can't choose a favorite.  This recipe includes both options.

Ingredients:

1 baked pastry shell

1-1/2 cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch or ½ cup flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

½ t. salt

3 cups milk

4 egg yolks

1 T. butter

1-1/2 t. vanilla

(4 egg white meringue)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch(or flour), cocoa, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir constantly over medium-high heat till mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Pour part of hot mixture slowly onto egg yolks, stirring constantly. Pour back into hot mixture. Cook and stir almost constantly for 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour the hot filling into baked shell. Spread meringue over hot filling. Seal to edge. Bake in a 350 oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool.

If you prefer, skip the meringue and top with whipped cream. 

A good friend of mine did take a picture of her chocolate cream pie. And it turned out beautiful; so I'm going to share her picture instead. She posted the picture on Facebook, and her family responded that the pie looked like the ones her grandma had made.  And another responded that she had her grandma and mom's talent.

My friend Annette's pie... she is a great cook!

Many of us learned lessons from our grandma's kitchen and will potentially train our own grandchildren. Do you have a favorite from your grandma's kitchen that you want to share with your family?