PAULA DEEN’S BEST CAKES & PIES 98
Crust:
1¼ cups crushed chocolate
graham crackers
¼ cup sugar
1⁄3 cup butter, melted
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Filling:
2⁄3 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks
3 cups milk
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate,
chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate,
chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Swiss Meringue (recipe on page 82)
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- For crust: In a medium bowl, stir
together all ingredients. Press mixture
into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch
pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool
completely.
3. For fi lling: In a medium bowl, whisk
together sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks
until smooth. In a medium saucepan,
cook milk over medium-low heat just
until bubbles begin to form around
edges of pan. Whisking constantly,
slowly add one-fourth of hot milk to egg
yolk mixture. Whisking constantly, add
egg yolk mixture to milk in saucepan.
Increase heat to medium, and cook,
whisking frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes
or until mixture is thickened and
coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in
all chocolate, butter, and vanilla until
melted and smooth. Spoon mixture
into prepared crust, and cover with
plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto
chocolate mixture to prevent a skin from
forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours
or for up to 3 days.
4. Preheat oven to broil.
5. Spread Swiss Meringue on top of
chilled pie, and broil for 30 seconds
or until top is lightly browned. Serve
immediately.
Chocolate Cream Pie
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie