The Pie Society’s Lindsay Leslie and Her To-Die-For-Chocolate Meringue Pie

PIE-A-DAY #20

This pie comes to us from Lindsay Leslie, the co-founder of The Pie Society. You can find The Pie Society on Twitter: @ThePieSociety.

This is my mother’s recipe and the reason I became passionate about all things pie. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, I could expect her to make a beautiful chocolate meringue pie for dessert. I would literally inhale down dinner so I could get to the pie first and have at least two pieces. After having my first son, I asked my mom to teach me all she knew about pie and the first pie she taught me how to bake was my favorite — the chocolate meringue pie. I hope to carry on the tradition of making chocolate meringue pies for the holidays. Enjoy!

Keep reading for the recipe…

To-Die-For Chocolate Meringue Pie

MERINGUE

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

1/2 cup boiling water

3 egg whites

6 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

CHOCOLATE FILLING

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups milk

4 slightly beaten eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate (add to milk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the meringue:

Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan. Add boiling water and cook, stirring until clear and thickened. Let stand until COMPLETELY cold.

With beater at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar (make sure it is dissolving) and beat until stiff but not dry. Turn mixer to low speed; add salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture. Turn mixer again to high and beat well.

Prepare the filling:

Mix sugar, flour, salt; slowly stir in milk with chocolate. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture boils and thickens; cook 2 minutes longer.

Stir 1 cup of hot mixture into eggs; stir into remaining hot mixture.

Stirring constantly, bring just to boiling. Add vanilla and set aside.

Pour chocolate filling into a pre-baked pie shell and spread meringue over warm pie filling. Bake for 10 minutes or until top is lightly browned.