Chocolate pie, Apple pie, Coconut Cream pie, Cherry pie! Who doesn’t love pie?
When I was a teenager, going to my Aunt Clo’s for Thanksgiving was a tradition. Aunts, uncles, cousins and friends all together to celebrate food and being thankful for life, love for those both past and present. As we all know Thanksgiving is also a day for stuffing your face, watching football, going to stuff your face a little more including dessert by this time and taking a nap before heading home. I need a nap just thinking about it. How about you?
On one occasion, Aunt Clo and myself were in the kitchen arranging the food and she asked if I would place all the desserts in one place. Alright, by me as I could scope out what I wanted…Smart lady and yeah! for me.
I asked, “Aunt Clo what’s this pie with the meringue on it?” Oh, my Chocolate Pie. Hmmm…Chocolate Pie? I told her I had never made pie crust. “Can you show me how to make pie crust sometime? She replied, of course I can.”
Well, her chocolate pie was the best I had ever tasted. The crust was so flaky and the filling chocolatey and creamy yet there was an unexpected flavor in the mix. Instead of using vanilla extract as flavoring in the pie Aunt Clo uses butter-nut flavoring. The flavoring makes the chocolate taste of nuts and butter. Can’t go wrong with such a combination…can you? Fab-tabulous, my friends!
So, before heading home, Aunt Clo handed me a recipe for her Chocolate Pie and Pie Crust. Aunt Clo gave me a few tips on how to make the recipe and to let her know if I had any issues. This 17 year old’s got this!
Needless, to say, I made the pie especially for my Dad. First thing Dad said when tasting, “Is this Aunt Clo’s pie?” So happy to say, yes Dad. So happy it turned out delicious and like my Aunt Clo’s recipe. My aunt was an amazing cook and a joy in the kitchen.
Below, you will find Aunt Clo’s recipe for “Chocolate Pie along with her Pie Crust. Have any favorite holiday desserts? Go ahead…share your memories of food and family and your favorite recipe.
Until next time..
Aunt Clo’s Chocolate Pie
4 T. cocoa
1 c. sugar
3 T. all-purpose flour
3 T. cornstarch
3 egg yolks
2 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
2 T. butter
1 t. vanilla butter-nut flavoring (click here to view)
Mix together cocoa, sugar, flour and cornstarch. Add egg yolks and milk; mix until well combined. Mix in the salt, butter and butter-nut flavoring. Cook in a medium saucepan until thick. Cool about 10 minutes before pouring into a baked 9 inch pie crust. Chill completely in refrigerator; Top with meringue if you desire or simple whipped cream works well.
Pie crust
2 c flour
2/3 c. shortening
1/2 t. salt
Mix together until crumbly. Add 1/4 c. warm water
Mix together – (if too wet, add enough flour so dough is not sticky)
Place crust in 9 inch pie plate @ 450* for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely before filling.
Meringue
3 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 t. cream of tartar
3 T. sugar
3/4 t. cornstarch
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high-speed of an electric mixer just until foamy. Combine 3 T. sugar and cornstarch; gradually add, 1 T. at a time, to whites, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Spread meringue over filling, sealing to edge of pastry. Bake at 450* for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Note: Vanilla Butternut Flavor comes in oil found at kingarthurflour.com. Use only 1/8 t. to 1/4 t. when using oil instead of extract.
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