I am starting a new tradition this year. One of Keith’s childhood memories is of his grandmother’s chocolate pie. A dear friend made him one the last couple of years for Christmas. Now it’s my turn. I will make him one every New Years Eve. This is an old southern style custard pie with meringue! There is nothing, I say nothing like a real custard pie. There is no substitute.

- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup shortening
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 4 extra-large egg yolks, beaten
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5 extra-large egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup sugar
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- 1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut shortening into flour with a pastry blender until mixture resembles small peas. Push mixture to one side of bowl.
- 2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon water along edge of flour mixture. Use a fork to toss some of the flour mixture into water. Move mixture to opposite side of bowl and repeat with 2 more tablespoons of water.
- 3. Gather the dough together with your hands. You can add a little more water if the mixture is too dry, but it is best to add as little water as possible. Shape dough into a disk and place on a lightly floured work surface.
- 4. Roll dough to ⅛-inch thickness and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Trim excess pastry and fold edges under and crimp. Prick bottom and sides with a fork and bake for 9 minutes, until golden brown. Set pie crust aside to cool and reduce oven to 325 degrees.
- 5. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, unsweetened cocoa, and salt. Gradually whisk in both milks.
- 6. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute whisking continuously.
- 7. Remove from heat and gradually whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks. Continue to add hot mixture to egg yolks while whisking constantly until approximately ¼ of the mixture has been added to the egg yolks.
- 8. Pour egg yolk mixture into the saucepan and whisk well.
- 9. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- 10. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Pour chocolate filling into pie crust.
- 11. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves.
- 12. Spread meringue over filling, sealing the edges. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes, or until meringue is golden. Cool completely before slicing.