Mother's Day Chocolate Pie

Edited on 10/11/16

For Mother's Day this year, I told my mom that I'd make her dinner, anything she wanted.  The first thing out of her mouth was "chocolate pie."  (It took her longer to decide what she wanted for dinner, but she finally said that she wanted chicken tikka masala.)  I inwardly groaned when she asked for chocolate pie, because I have been trying to make my famous Aunt Meredith's chocolate pie for the past few years, and it has NEVER come out right.  It's either been burned, lumpy, or soupy.  I once ruined one of my mom's pots by trying to make this pie.  I made this pie for Easter this year, and when I pulled the plastic wrap off it when we were ready to serve dessert, half the pie came off with the plastic wrap.  (I also made a strawberry pie, just in case, and thank goodness for my foresight!)  I swear, this recipe is cursed for me!  When my aunt makes it, the pie comes out perfect, Every. Single. Time.  I just don't understand!  So I'm passing along this recipe, even though it doesn't exactly meet criteria for being cooking "therapy."  However, once it's done, and (if it turns out right) it is simply HEAVENLY to eat! 

Ingredients:

• 2 baked 9 inch pie crusts
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4.5 tablespoons cocoa powder (this should be unsweetened, 100% cocoa powder; not hot chocolate mix)
• 6 tablespoons flour
• pinch of salt
• 3 cups (2 12-oz cans) evaporated milk (not sweetened evaporated milk, just regular)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 stick butter
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla

Start heating water in a double boiler on medium heat.  Mix the evaporated milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, and sugar until the butter is melted.  Sift in the cocoa, flour, and salt into the double boiler.  Stir CONSTANTLY with a wire whisk, scraping the bottom of the pot, until it reaches the consistency of pudding, about 20 minutes.  Pour into the pie shells and let cool uncovered in fridge overnight.

This is about what it will look like when it is ready to go into the pie shell.















I cannot reiterate it enough--you MUST stir constantly, otherwise it will burn.  Also, you MUST use a double boiler, because it will burn if you don't (and as I have learned from experience, burned chocolate tastes terrible!).  I also highly recommend that you sift all the dry ingredients to help reduce lumping.  In addition, if you need to cover it, use aluminum foil rather than plastic wrap (remember what happened to me at Easter?).  I always have trouble with letting it cook long enough, so that it gets thick enough to set up properly.  My rule of thumb is that when I think it's ready (usually it's about the consistency of melted chocolate at this point), I let it cook for another 5 minutes so that it can reach that pudding consistency. 

I hope to goodness that you have more luck with this recipe than I have had!