Granny’s Chocolate Pie

For the pie:

Bake the pie shell according to the package instructions or make your own crust and bake according to the recipe. When done, set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl or in the top half of a double boiler.

Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Set egg whites aside in a bowl for the meringue. Combine half of the milk and the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk until completely incorporated. Pour egg and milk mixture through a strainer into the dry mixture. Then pour the other half of the milk through the strainer into the mixture and stir the wet and dry ingredients together until combined.

Cook the mixture in a double boiler over medium-low heat. Start out stirring with a whisk to make sure all of the ingredients incorporate, but then switch to a spoon and stir the mixture constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Add butter and vanilla. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot gently so thickened parts don’t stick to the bottom of the pot and burn. The mixture is adequately thickened when you can see the bottom of the pot for a few seconds in the wake of your spoon when you scrape it against the pot. Then remove it from heat and let mixture cool slightly. Then pour it into the baked pie shell. Let pie cool completely before preparing meringue.

For the meringue:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Beat the reserved egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar, using a mixer on high until they form peaks. Then, add marshmallow cream 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition.

Spoon meringue onto the pie and smooth it with a spatula. Bake pie in a 400 F oven, just for a few minutes until the meringue peaks start to brown.