Chocolate Pie and Coconut Pie

"Those were some good women."  This is what I always hear about my great aunt in law and great grandmother in law.  Although I met the latter, she was no longer herself at that point.  I'm sad to have missed them, but judging by their recipes....those were some goooooooood women.

This was one of those family recipes that I had to learn.  It's at my in law's for almost every major meal. I adapted the meringue and pie crust, but the rest are untouched.  These are some good pies!!!!!

Easy Pie Crust
Adapted from Annie's Eats

1 9-inch pie crust (YOU NEED TO DOUBLE IF MAKING BOTH PIES)


Ingredients:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 tbsp. very cold water

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix briefly to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and mix on medium-low speed to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the largest butter pieces are not much bigger than peas.  Mix in the cold water on low speed just until the dough comes together.

Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  (This dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)  Remove from the refrigerator.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface.  For this recipe, Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes to blind bake.  Before baking, put parchment over crust and place uncooked rice in the cavity of the pie.  This will keep the crust from slipping but it will be able to breathe.



Chocolate Pie Filling
Adapted from Dot, Jewel, and Tina

4 tablespoons special dark cocoa
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sugar

Whisk flour and cocoa into a saucepan.  Stirring over low heat, add milk, eggs, butter.  Cook, whisking often, until thick.  Add vanilla.  Spoon into pie crust and cool.

Coconut Pie Filling
Adapted from Dot, Jewel, and Tina

1/4 cup flour

2 eggs

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup sugar

1 small can (3.5 oz) sweetened flaked coconut

Whisk flour and cocoa into a saucepan.  Stirring over low heat, add milk, eggs, butter.  Cook, whisking often, until thick.  Add vanilla and coconut.  Spoon into pie crust and cool.

SUGGESTED: BEFORE TOPPING WITH MERINGUE-- CRUMBLED ONE GRAHAM CRACKER ON TOP of pie filling.  This helps the meringue bond to the filling and stay in place.  You won't taste it.

Meringue (enough for both pies)

Adapted from the Pastry Queen via 20somethingcupcakes

Cooking method adapted from Shirley Corriher

10 large egg whites, at room temperature 

3 cups sugar

Set a large, very clean metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. I use my mixing bowl.  Pour in the egg whites and sugar. Heat the egg whites and sugar while whisking constantly until the sugar melts and there are no visible grains in the meringue. Take a little meringue mixture and rub it between your fingers to make sure all sugar grains have melted. 

Remove the meringue from over the simmering water and whip it with a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on low speed for 5 minutes; increase the speed to high and beat 5 minutes longer, until the meringue is stiff and shiny.

To assemble the pies, Pile the meringue on top of the pies. Style the meringue with your fingers by plucking at it to tease the meringue into jagged spikes, or use the back of a spoon.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  If things are not sufficiently browned at the end, broil BRIEFLY.  (watch out- it can ignite!!)