Related Recipe:
Key Lime Pie

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

  • PREP TIME: 20 minutes + chill
  • COOK TIME: 20 minutes
  • YIELDS: 8 servings

Ingredients

Crust
  • 32 graham crackers squares (8 whole sheets)
  • ¼ cup coconut
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups skim milk, divided
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 egg whites
  • pinch of cream of tartar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Nothing says comfort food like Chocolate Cream Pie. I lighten this rich dessert by using skim milk in the filling and substituting a meringue topping for the whipped cream topping.

Instructions

FIRST To prepare crust, preheat oven 350°F.In a food processor, pulse crackers until crumbly. Add coconut, sugar, butter, and cinnamon and pulse until butter is evenly distributed. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray and press mixture in bottom and up sides. Bake for 9 minutes and cool let cool for 10 minutes.

NEXT In a large bowl combine ½ cup milk, sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, salt, and egg and whisk until smooth. Heat remaining 1 ½ cups milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until small bubbles form around edge (mild should reach about 180°F). Remove from eat, slowly whisk hot milk into sugar mixture, and return mixture to pan. Add chopped chocolate and whisk over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and continue whisking an additional 2 minutes. Pour filling into crust, gently cover with plastic wrap making sure to press plastic onto filling. Chill for 3 hours or longer.

LAST If using a glass pie dish, remove pie from refrigerator and place at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking meringue. Preheat oven 375°F. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue on top of pie making sure it completely covers the filling going all the way up to the edges of the crust. Bake for 8 minutes or until meringue is golden. Let cool for 10 minutes and return to refrigerator until ready to serve.