PATRICIA'S AWESOME CHOCOLATE PIE

I know what you might be thinking... What does Patricia mean by her "mysterious" chocolate pie? Right? Well, maybe not. I'll explain anyway. (I did decide to change it to "awesome" instead of "mysterious by the time I finished writing this post.)

First of all I have to describe my oldest recipe collection. I started it back in the seventies. It is 7 x 9" and is a 3-ring binder. I don't remember where I got it from, but it also has a gold circle sticker that says RECIPE BOOK on the edge. Inside is a half light weight card stock sheet that says Central Recipe Book and then goes on to tell you how to use it. It also contains 5 section Mylar indexes and a envelope for printed clippings. It was made in the U.S.A. by the Northern Central Co., in MIL, WIS but doesn't include a date. It was definite for beginners since it has such detailed instructions. (I must admit I don't remember reading them until now as I sit here to write this post. It brought a smile to my face and even a small chuckle.)

The name of the recipe that I had copied down on one of the ruled 8.5" x 5.5" sheets of paper is called Chocolate Chess Pie. They should have instructed me to identify the source of the recipe which might have helped me with its name, but they didn't and so I have no sources except on the clippings I have in the envelop.

The thing is ... the recipe isn't like any Chocolate Chess Pie recipes I have made or found. Since it has cream cheese in it, I looked up Chocolate Cream Pie but couldn't find any recipe like it. Basically I'm saying, I could not find any recipe like it. 

I had thought about making it when I made my recent Creamy Chocolate Pie which is also one I had written down on one of the ruled sheet, but when I realized the eggs weren't cooked, I kept turning the page until I found the Creamy Chocolate Pie that didn't have any eggs. When I was looking for something to make for the canasta group that I hosted last Tuesday, that fact went right over my head.

All of my younger life I have loved Lemon Ice Box Pie. I don't know how many my mother made during her life and I even made. It is still a family favorite at gatherings. I don't have any idea when I quit making them but do enjoy it when I go back to my hometown. Eating raw eggs in desserts fits in the category of things we did but is not recommended anymore. You know the list that includes having kids secured in a car in a car seat, being secured in a high chair, a baby sleeping on its stomach, children just going out to play and told to be home for supper, leaving your kids in the car while you went in the store, etc. Older people laugh and say it's a miracle we are here today.

Saying all of that, when it finally hit me, I was concerned and notified everyone that I had made a pie that contained eggs that were not cooked. I offered to make something else to serve if that bothered them. Everyone felt like I did about growing up and eating desserts with raw eggs and they couldn't wait to enjoy the pie. 

I obviously haven't tried this but when I was looking for recipes online like mine, I read a post from Sally's Baking Recipes for a French Silk Pie that called for eggs that weren't cooked that she had modified so she could cook the eggs to 160 degrees F. She cooked the eggs with the sugar in a double boiler over simmering water stirring constantly until the temperature reached 160 degrees F. about 10 minutes. She allowed it to cool for about 10 minutes before adding the cooled chocolate. If you are concerned about eating my pie with uncooked eggs, you could try that with the brown sugar and after cooling the mixture, add it to the cream cheese and cream the mixture together. It's just a thought since I haven't tried it to see if the pie comes out the same.

Printable copy of just the recipe.

PATRICIA'S AWESOME CHOCOLATE PIE

1     package (6-ounces/1 cup) chocolate (I used Belgian 54% cacao chocolate chunks)

1   package (8-ounces) cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 reduced fat Neufchatel at room temperature)

3/4  cup light brown sugar, divided

1/8  teaspoon salt

1     teaspoon vanilla

2     eggs, separated

1     cup heavy cream whipped (I used 2 cups thawed whipped topping)

1     (9-inch) prepared chilled graham cracker crust

Melt the chocolate over hot (not boiling) water,

then cool about 10 minutes.

Blend cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, salt, and vanilla.

Beat in egg yolks, one at a time.

Beat in cooled chocolate and

blend well.

Beat egg whites until stiff,

but not dry.

Gradually beat the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar;

beat until stiff and glossy.

(I had to transfer the egg whites into a large bowl, so beat them in a large bowl.)

Fold chocolate mixture into the beaten whites.

Fold in the whipped cream/topping.

Pour (spoon) mixture into crust

and chill overnight.

When ready to serve, you can add a dollop of the whipped topping you had left from the 8-ounce container.

The finished pie was so smooth and light tasting as well as making an awesome presentation.