Old Fashioned Chocolate Meringue Pie

This pie uses 70% dark chocolate... dark chocolate is good for you! So make your heart happy and go for another piece of pie! And share it with your sweetheart! Happy Valentine's Day!

Ingredients:
1 - 9" baked pie shell
4 eggs (separated)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 tbsps cornstarch
pinch salt
2  2/3 cup 10% cream (or milk)
2 oz (or 50 g) 70% dark chocolate, crushed or broken
1 tsp vanilla

Meringue:
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup sugar

Something I learned recently... it is easier to separate eggs while they are cold. So do that then let them come to room temperature. The whites especially need to be at room temperature before making the meringue.

In a saucepan mix the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt together.  Add the cream and heat on medium-low to medium until it begins to boil, stirring regularly.
Whisk the egg yolks then slowly stream about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the yolks while whisking. Add the rest of the hot stuff and return to a boil for 1 minute.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the crushed or chunked dark chocolate and vanilla. I smashed the chocolate in a waxed cereal bag with a rolling pin. Stir until smooth then set aside. Stir once or twice while preparing the meringue so a skin doesn't form.

Now for the meringue...take those room temperature egg whites, add the cream of tartar and whisk on high until soft peaks form. Then, still on high, add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time. Whisk until no longer gritty to the touch and stiff peaks form.

Pour the chocolate filling into the baked pie shell. Pile the meringue on top making sure to seal the meringue to the pie shell all the way around. Like this spot below ↓

When the filling is completely covered with meringue bake at 375 F for 10 minutes or until meringue is golden.

Cool on rack 1 hour, then chill in the fridge 4 hours before cutting.

You might also like:
Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pie
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2014/01/butterscotch-pie.html