Chocolate Meringue Pie Recipe

Chocolate Meringue Pie Recipe

This recipe serves about 6 people. The pie has a perfect balance of taste, the salty buttery crumbly bottom crust with the sweet milky creamy chocolate filling and a cloud of heavenly meringue with a slightly crisp golden top.

P.S- for those who don't know what a meringue taste like, it like a bit like a not-so-super-sweet cotton candy but a has crisp outside layer. Not only that, it's only made out of egg whites, caster sugar and vanilla essence only. The only tricky part of making a meringue is anyone who doesn't have an electric mixer and a strong arm....But one thing for sure, this pie taste incredible !!!

Ingredients


Crust
225 g/8 oz plain chocolate digestive biscuits (or any digestive biscuit if you desired) 
4 tablespoons butter


Filling
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons caster sugar
4 tablespoons corn flour
600 ml/ 1 pint milk
100 g/ 3 1/2 oz plain chocolate, melted


Meringue
2 egg whites
100 g/ 3 1/2 oz caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence




Method


1) Crush the chocolate digestive biscuits using an electric mixer or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or using an ancient method....your hands. Then, transfer into a large bowl. Place butter in a small, heavy based saucepan and heat gently until just melted ,then stir it into the biscuit crumbs until well mixed. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 23 cm/9 inch tart tin or dish.


2) To make the filling, place the egg yolks caster sugar and corn flour into a large bowl and beat until they form a smooth paste, adding a little of milk, if necessary. Place the milk in a small, heavy-based saucepan and heat gently until almost boiling, then slowly pour it onto the egg mixture, whisking well.


3) Return the mixture to the pan and cook gently, whisking, until thick. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the melted chocolate then pour it onto the biscuit base.


4) Here comes the tough part for those who don't have electric mixer and strong arm. To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a large, spotlessly clean grease-free glass bowl (glass bowl helps the quicken this process as it can incorporate air efficiently.) until soft peaks form. It takes about 30 minutes for a strong arm and a weak one forever but this recipe is worth it, believe me ! The thing about doing this manually, you don't have to go the gym to build muscles and burn fat ! That's one the good thing about doing chores and housework...Anyway, gradually, whisk in two-thirds of the sugar until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Fold in the remaining sugar and vanilla essence.


5) Spread the meringue over the filling, swirling the surface with the back of a spoon to give it an attractive finish. Bake in the center of a preheated oven, 160 'C/375 'F, for 30 minutes or until golden. Serve hot or just warm. (Tip: For those who have small oven and afraid the top of the pie is going to burn quickly, if becomes golden less than 20 minutes, take it out and cover it with a tin foil or turn the switch to only heat the oven from the bottom.)