Mom's Chocolate Meringue Pie

Recipe View Preparation: Gather all ingredients. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Separate the eggs, placing the whites in a clean, grease-free glass, metal, or ceramic bowl. Set aside for the meringue. (Prep time: 10 minutes)

Recipe View Chocolate Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Cooking the Filling: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble (4-5 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring continuously, for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Recipe View Tempering the Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly. Gradually pour about 1 cup of the hot chocolate mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly and rapidly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. (1 minute)

Recipe View Combining and Finishing the Filling: Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining chocolate filling. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Filling the Crust: Pour the hot chocolate filling into the pre-baked pie crust. (1 minute)

Recipe View Meringue Preparation: In the bowl with the reserved egg whites, add cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. (3-5 minutes)

Recipe View Creating the Meringue: Gradually add the remaining sugar (6 tablespoons) to the egg whites, beating constantly until stiff, glossy peaks form. The meringue should be firm enough to hold its shape. (5-7 minutes)

Recipe View Applying the Meringue: Immediately spread the meringue evenly over the hot chocolate filling, ensuring it reaches and seals to the edges of the crust. This is important to prevent the meringue from shrinking or weeping during baking. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Baking: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown. (12-15 minutes)

Recipe View Cooling: Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating. This allows the filling to set properly. (Cooling time: 2-3 hours)