
The Recipe:
(The Crust) Recipe makes two (8 inch) crusts
2 cups AP flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
dash ground cinnamon or apple pie spice
1 cup Crisco shortening
1/2 cup whole milk
Make It:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine sugar, salt, flour, spice; cut shortening into flour mixture until crumbly; add milk; stir just until mixture is blended ( dough will follow spoon around bowl when stirred).
Scoop dough out onto a floured surface (I use a piece of waxed paper); work dough into a ball - slice the ball in half and wrap and seal one half of dough. Freeze the extra dough ball for later use. Making sure the surface is generously floured, roll one dough half into a circle large enough to fit a pie plate; gently lay the rolling pin at the top of the rolled out crust and pull the waxed paper toward you (this method rolls the dough around your rolling pin; lift rolling pin with dough around it up and place it into the pie plate; pat the dough in place in pie plate; roll the edges of dough under and pinch to flute edges ( place the index finger of one hand onto edge of dough - place the thumb and index finger of the other hand on either side of the finger on the edge. Gently pull the index finger in the middle toward the center of dough and give it a little twist). Lightly prick the bottom of the crust to vent steam. Place crust in oven and back 15 - 18 minutes or until lightly browned.
(The Pie Filling)
3 egg yolks ( reserve egg whites for meringue)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup whole milk
1 (12 oz) can Pet milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 (level) cup cocoa powder
2 tsps vanilla extract
3 scant Tbsps butter
Make It:
Pour Pet milk into saucepan - set heat to low; combine sugar and cocoa powder - blend well - set aside; separate eggs (reserve whites for meringue), beat yolks, stir cornstarch into beaten yolks adding a little bit of the measured (1/2 cup) cup as you go to make a smooth paste, gradually stir in the entire 1/2 cup milk. Pour sugar/cocoa mixture into heated milk in saucepan - cook and stir until sugar has completely dissolved (do not let milk boil) - remove pan from heat; with a ladles, gradually spoon heated chocolate mixture into the egg mixture - stirring constantly as warm mixture is blended with eggs ( I usually stir most of the milk mixture into the eggs) - then - stir the egg/milk mixture back into the reserved mixture in saucepan. (Hard part is over) - simply return the saucepan back to heat source and cook over medium-high heat (stirring constantly) until mixture has thickened (5 - 7 minutes). Remove pan from heat - add butter and vanilla extract - set pie filling aside to cool or cover and cool in refrigerator while making meringue.
(The Meringue)
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 Tbsps granulated sugar
Make It:
Crack and separate one more egg (discard the extra yolk)
Add cream of tartar and vanilla extract to center of bowl of egg whites; start beating on high speed with electric mixer; beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; gradually add in the sugar - one tablespoon at a time - until stiff peaks form and hold their shape. Scoop pie filling into baked shell; spoon the meringue over filling; smooth meringue to the edge of the crust; using the flat side of the spoon to make dollops and curly cues in meringue. Bake crust in a 350 degree oven 20 - 25 minutes until light golden brown. Let pie cool before cutting.