I can tell you first hand that this chocolate meringue pie is perfect for any holiday party, since it’s been served at every one of my family’s holiday festivities since I can remember. A sweet variation of an old time classic, Mimi Roger’s chocolate meringue pie recipe was passed down to me by my great-grandmother, who is a variation of an old time classic herself.
You may be wondering why this pie is perfect for the holidays, since it doesn’t have any of those classic holiday flavors like peppermint or gingerbread. Well, let me break it down for you.
Imagine you are invited to a large holiday party filled with hungry family and friends. You are charged with bringing the dessert. How will you please them all? What if your little cousin doesn’t like peppermint or Grandma is allergic to pecans?
The answer, of course, is chocolate. Who doesn’t like chocolate? It’s arguably the most beloved and craved of all sweets.
Perhaps the most convincing reason this pie is right for your party is the mere fact that it is a delicate, light treat. You know as well as I do that after hitting up the buffet for hours and gorging on heavy holiday dishes, there isn’t going to be much room for dessert.
This pie can come to your rescue. It’s like eating a pillowy chocolate cloud, and I guarantee you’ll make room for it.
Photo by Lara Schwieger
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
Premade pie crust
Filling:
3/4 cups sugar
1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch (or 2 tablespoons flour)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder or chopped chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 egg yolks (save the whites)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 store-bought pie crust
pinch of salt
Meringue:
2 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
Photo by Lara Schwieger
Directions:
1. Set out premade pie crust.
Photo by Lara Schwieger
2. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Mix sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, butter, milk, salt and egg yolks in a saucepan. If you plan on skipping the meringue topping, you can double the filling recipe in order to make sure the crust is filled to the brim.
Photo by Lara Schwieger
3. Cook over low heat, constantly stirring until thick. The mixture should coat the spoon.
Photo by Lara Schwieger
4. When thick, remove saucepan from heat. Add vanilla extract and mix.
5. Pour mixture into pie shell.
Photo by Lara Schwieger
6. Prepare meringue by beating whites in a medium sized bowl until soft peaks form.
Photo by Lara Schwieger
7. Add sugar to mixture a little bit at a time (no more than 1 tablespoon). Beat until stiff peaks form. If you do not own an electric mixer, add cream of tartar to help form stiff peaks. Alternatively, you can just top with whipped cream instead of meringue.
8. Spoon meringue over top of pie and bake until the meringue turns golden, about 10-15 minutes.
9. Serve at your next holiday party and prepare to be heavily praised.
Photo by Lara Schwieger