Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie

This is one of my all-time favorites. It is delicious, creamy, and probably just like your grandma used to make. While the traditional way is to cook the filling on the stovetop, I have a new little trick to make it easier and more fail-proof: we are going to cook it in the microwave.

Ingredients

The Crust

1 Pie crust store-bought or homemade, unbaked

The Meringue

3 to 4 Egg whites use 4 for a taller meringue
1/4 cup Granulated sugar
1/4 tsp Cream of tartar

The Filling

1 1/2 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Flour all-purpose or self-rising
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
Pinch of Salt
3 to 4 Egg yolks reserved from separating eggs
2 1/2 cups Milk
1 tbsp Butter approximate, just under a tablespoon is fine
1 to 2 tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the Crust

Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Place your dough into the pie plate. Flute the edges using your fingers to create a design if desired.
Prick holes in the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork. This prevents air bubbles and keeps the pastry from puffing up too much.
Chill the crust in the fridge for 30 minutes or briefly in the freezer while you prep ingredients.
Bake the empty crust for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.

Make the Meringue

Separate your eggs, placing whites in a mixing bowl and reserving yolks for the filling. Be very careful not to get any yolk in the whites.
Using a whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until frothy.
Increase speed and slowly sprinkle in the sugar and add the cream of tartar.
Continue whipping until stiff peaks form and stay put when you lift the whisk. Set aside.

Make the Filling (Microwave Method)

In a large microwave-safe glass bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
In a separate container, whisk the egg yolks slightly and mix them into the milk.
Pour the milk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
Microwave the mixture in intervals to cook it. Start with 2 minutes, then remove and whisk thoroughly.
Microwave for another 1.5 to 2 minutes, then whisk again. It will look lumpy at first, but keep whisking and it will smooth out.
Continue in short 30-second intervals if needed until the mixture is thickened like a pudding.
Once thickened, whisk in the butter and vanilla until melted and combined.

Assembly

Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
Pour the hot chocolate filling directly into the baked pie shell.
Immediately top with the meringue. Spread it all the way to the edges so it touches the crust (this helps seal it). Use your spatula to create decorative peaks.
Bake for 5 to 10 minutes (check at 7 or 8 minutes) until the meringue is browned to your liking.
Let the pie cool for at least 1 to 2 hours to allow the filling to set up before slicing.