Recipe Finder: Chocolate cream pie

By JULIE ROTHMAN - The Baltimore Sun

Sharon Friedman of Baltimore was looking for a recipe for chocolate cream pie like the one that was served at a local deli in the 1960s. I received quite a few recipes for this pie. While most of the recipes were fairly similar, the two most common variations had to do with whether the pie had a meringue topping and whether it was made in a pastry or cookie crust.

Since Friedman did not provide me with much detail about the pie, I decided to test a recipe that was sent in by Teresa Sullivan of Reisterstown, Md., because it seemed straightforward and classic. She said that she found it on the Hershey's chocolate website, and it immediately became a family favorite. To save time, I made it using a good-quality store-bought crust, which was fine. After all, this pie is really about the filling and this one was silky smooth, rich but not overly sweet. Topped with dollop of real whipped cream, it was a slice of heaven.

VELVETY CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE



Makes: 8 servings
1 9-inch baked and cooled pastry shell (graham cracker crust may be substituted)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk
3/4 cup chocolate chips (dark or semisweet)
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped cream for topping

Prepare pie crust, cool

Stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan. Combine eggs and milk; gradually stir into sugar mixture, blending well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wire whisk, until mixture begins to thicken and just comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, butter and vanilla. Stir until chips and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour into prepared crust. Immediately press plastic wrap onto pie surface. Refrigerate three to four hours or until firm. Garnish with whipped topping.

Regina McClune from Columbia, Md., is looking for a chicken wing recipe that she cut from a newspaper within the past year but lost. It began with dredging the wings in a small amount of flour and then cooking them at a high temperature until crispy. The wings were then coated with a sweet-and-sour sauce after cooking.

If you are looking for a recipe or can answer a request, write to Julie Rothman, Recipe Finder, The Baltimore Sun, 501 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21278. If you send more than one recipe, please put each on a separate piece of paper with your name, address and daytime phone number. Please list the ingredients in order of use and note the number of servings each recipe makes.


Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2011/02/21/1600702/recipe-finder-chocolate-cream.html#ixzz1EbOvwcBD

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