This decadent dessert with old-fashioned flavor is one of the best holiday pies. A rich chocolate custard with perfect fluffy meringue. Delicious.
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s beautiful! Gorgeous browned meringue and lovely layers make this a recipe your guests will oooh and ahhh over.
- It’s versatile. Use dark or milk chocolate, or even add in some chopped nuts for added crunch. The possibilities are endless!
- Of course, it’s delicious. The combination of chocolate custard and fluffy meringue is irresistible. Your family will be begging for seconds.
🧂 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.
You’ll need the following for this beautiful dessert:
- cornstarch
- whole milk (do not substitute low fat!)
- egg yolks
- whole egg
- granulated sugar
- salted butter
- vanilla
- dark chocolate chips
- cream of tartar
- prepared pie crust
🥣 Equipment
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- Pie plate
- Electric Mixer
🍴Instructions
Step One: start the custard
Preheat the oven to 450℉. Put the pie shell in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and whisk in 4 tablespoons of the milk to dissolve the cornstarch. To the cornstarch, whisk in the egg yolks and whole egg. Add the remaining whole milk and granulated sugar to a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat.
Step Two: add the chocolate
Cook the custard and add chocolate. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan with the boiling milk. Bring it back to a boil and let it thicken while stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat when thickened and stir in butter, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips until melted. Pour it into the prepared pie shell immediately and set aside.
Step three: make the meringue
To make the meringue, mix together the 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium-sized bowl. Stir until the egg whites become soft peaks. Next, add 3oz of granulated sugar and mix on high speed until the mixture becomes glossy and stiff peaks form. Do not overmix! Finally, set the mixture aside.
Step Four: assemble and bake
Spread the meringue over the pie with a rubber spatula. Seal the edges of the crust with the meringue. Put the pie in an oven preheated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit to brown the meringue. (about 3-5 minutes) watch it carefully so that it does not burn.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!
🥫 Storage instructions
The best way to store the pie is to keep it in the fridge. This will prevent the meringue from becoming soft and soggy and will help the custard stay firm. It will keep for up to five days, tightly covered.
🔍 FAQs
No! It’s important to use whole milk in this recipe for the best texture and flavor.
Cornstarch does a much better job of thickening the filling without lumps.
Yes, feel free to experiment with different types of chocolate. Milk chocolate is delicious and sometimes preferred by kids.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Don’t overmix the meringue, or it will release liquid into your pie as it cools.
- You can use a creme brulee torch to brown the meringue if desired.
- You may prefer this pie chilled or at room temperature. Try it both ways to see!
📘 Related Recipes
🍽 Serve it with
This is the perfect dessert for Christmas dinner. Try these recipes too:
- Prime Rib with Horseradish Sauce
- Cast Iron Skillet Green Beans
- White Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes
- Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls
📖 Here’s the recipe
Grandma’s Chocolate Meringue Pie
Equipment
- Pie plate
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
Chocolate Filling
- ⅓ cup cornstarch 1.5 ounces
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- ½ cup granulated sugar 4 ounces
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips 4 ounces
For the Meringue
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 3 ounces
Assembly
- 1 9 inch prepared pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450℉ and prepare your pie shell.
- Make the custard base. In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and whisk in 4 tablespoons of the milk to dissolve the cornstarch. To the cornstarch, whisk in the egg yolks and the whole egg, set aside. Add the remaining whole milk and granulated sugar to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Remove from the heat.
- Cook the custard and add chocolate. Temper the cornstarch mixture with ¼ cup of the boiling milk by whisking it into the cornstarch mixture. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan with the boiling milk. Bring the milk mixture back to a boil and allow to thicken over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. (about 5 minutes) Remove from heat when thickened. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract, add in the chocolate chips and stir until completely melted.
- Fill. Pour into the prepared pie shell immediately. Set aside.
- Make the meringue. In a medium-sized bowl, add the 4 egg whites and ½ tsp cream of tartar. Using a handheld electric mixer, mix until soft peaks from. Add in the 3oz of granulated sugar and mix on high speed until glossy stiff peaks form (do not over mix) Set aside.
- Assemble the pie. Using a rubber spatula, spread the meringue over the pie and seal the edges of the crust with the meringue.
- Bake. Place the pie in the oven preheated to 450℉ to brown the meringue. (about 3-5 minutes) watch it carefully so that it does not burn.
- Cool. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!
