My Favorite Chocolate Pie Recipe

This chocolate pie recipe has been handed down on my father's side for at least 4, possibly 5, generations. His family is from eastern North Carolina, so all the food that comes from there is very yummy, very Southern, and not very diet. Keep this in mind as you prepare. (Also, keep in mind that you really have to stir the pudding while on the stove for a longgggg time). We serve it in our family every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is not a holiday without this pie.

The recipe and our family has been using a hand mixer to do the "mixing" part. There's an opportunity to improve the execution of this recipe if you use a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer . Hamilton Beach has a fantastic new Eclectrics® Mixer out, that they offer in really funky colors. I would really, really like one for Christmas! Then I could make even more pie! And by using the Hamilton Beach® Mixer, I wouldn't get so tired holding that little hand mixer any more! So, family and friends, you can add this to my Christmas list!

I call it Maw Maw's Chocolate Pie (we called our grandma - "Maw-Maw" )

Here's the recipe:

Makes 2 Pies

4 small packages of Jello pudding & pie filling chocolate Jello brand preferred
2 Pet Ritz Bake and Fill Pie Shells (regular size) or any other bake and fill regular pie crust
2 TB real cocoa
2TB Sugar
Evaporated Milk to fit amount called for pie recipe on the Jello box (get two cans)
4 Egg Yolks/use whites for meringue (may want extra egg whites to make taller meringue) Eggs should be at room temperature
1TB Vanilla
1TB butter
pinch of salt

Following crust instructions, pre-bake the pie shells. Beat egg yolks first with mixer. Add balance of ingredients and stir by hand constantly over medium heat and as it starts to boil. It will be slightly lumpy when you take it off the burner. Remove from heat, beat it by hand to smooth it out, then pour into pre-baked crusts.

Prepare meringue by beating egg whites with ¼ cup sugar (5 egg whites) using mixer. Feel free to double the merigue if you want it to be thick on top of the pie.

Bake at 350 degrees until merigue is browned. May be served warm or chilled.