WRITING EVERY 6-8 MONTHS ISN'T 

ENOUGH TO HAVE A BLOG

I thought I'd write my food blog alot more than once every 6 month or  8 months  It's very hard to have a blog if one has undiagnosed ADD, dyslexia and an host of other ailments real and imagined.   There's always something that distracts me, interests me, or sidetracks me.


But yesterday, I remembered that I started a blog.  So, I'm starting again.  


I have hidden "bag" of snacks stuck up high in a cabinet. I thought that high cabinets and a short stature would  deter me from eating the junk.  And how is it that I forget appointments, work schedules but I never forget that I have a chocolate stash?   I even count getting a step stool to reach my chocolate as part of my exercise program!

Should wrap up my "Do Not Eat Unless of an Emergency" in brown paper like the stores used to wrap up sanitary napkins when I was young?   

I've always wondered if I should try to start a 12-step program for chocolate in all forms, shapes, and sizes.  Could I go 1 day without chocolate?  How about an 1/2 day? An hour?  I am envisioning a bunch of chocoholics sitting in a circle sweating because of lack of chocolate. 

I can see myself resigned to begging on the streets with a sign reading, "Will work for Hershey kisses!"

Try this recipe if you begin to NEED more and more of the brown sweet delectable.

Today's post is not anything that is on the "healthy scale" of any diet anywhere.  It's fattening, delicious and it makes me feel like growing up.  Sometimes, I'm just sad that I have to apologize for putting such an unhealthy recipe on a blog.  But this is my mom's chocolate pie recipe.  This recipe makes me feel young and loved and content.  

Classic Chocolate Meringue Pie

Ingredients

 

 

9 inch baked pastry shell

3 eggs

3 cups milk

1 c. granulated sugar

1/3 c.  all-purpose flour

2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 t. kosher salt

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

3 T. unsalted butter

2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. vanilla

1/4 t. cream of tartar

1/4 t. kosher salt

6 T superfine granulated sugar

Directions

1. Prepare your favorite baked pastry shell. Cool on wire rack. Separate egg yolks from whites. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For custard, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 2-1/2 cups of the milk almost to simmering (watch closely so milk doesn't boil). Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, with a 12-inch or larger balloon whisk, stir remaining 1/2 cup milk into the 3 egg yolks. In a second bowl combine 1 cup sugar, the flour, cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; whisk in egg yolk mixture until smooth. Gradually whisk in hot milk; return the mixture to saucepan.
3. Over medium-high heat cook and stir mixture until it comes to a full boil. Boil for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
4. Whisk in chocolate and butter until melted and smooth. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Strain mixture through a sieve, pushing it through with a spatula as needed.
5. Wash both bowl and whisk. Set whites-in bowl-over bowl of hot (110 degrees F) water. Let stand 5 minutes.
6. In a large bowl, with 12-inch or larger wire whisk, beat egg whites slowly until foamy. Whisk in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, the cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt until well blended.
7. Whisk by hand or with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until whites begin to mound. Whisk in superfine sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, sprinkling the sugar over the whole bowl. Continue to whisk 7 to 8 minutes or until whites are moist, glossy, and do not slide when bowl is inverted. The tips of whites should curl over slightly when whisk is lifted from bowl.
8. Turn meringue out all at once on top of hot pie filling. With spatula spread meringue from center to edges making sure meringue seals to crust all the way around. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees F or until top is golden; do not overbake. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Makes 8 servings.