Chocolate Silk Pie

Part of the Italian meringue is folded into the rich chocolate custard to give the pie its silky texture.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1  (10-inch) Piecrust or 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1/2  cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 1/3  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1 3/4  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
• 4  ounces  semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 
  Meringue:
• 5  large egg whites
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/4  cups  sugar
• 2/3  cup  water
• Grated chocolate (optional)

Preparation

Prepare and bake Piecrust in a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare filling, combine 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cook 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; add chopped chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Spoon chocolate mixture into a bowl; place bowl in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until chocolate mixture comes to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from ice.

To prepare meringue, place egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 238°. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold 2 cups meringue into chocolate mixture.

Spread chocolate mixture into prepared crust. Spread remaining meringue over chocolate mixture. Chill 8 hours; garnish with grated chocolate, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

314 (26% from fat)

Fat:

9.1g (sat 3.4g,mono 2.1g,poly 1.6g)

Protein:

6g

Carbohydrate:

55.8g

Fiber:

2.2g

Cholesterol:

4mg

Iron:

1.4mg

Sodium:

257mg

Calcium:

58mg