Mamaw Johnsons Chocolate Pie Food

CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pulse the cookies in a food processor until finely chopped. With the processor running, add the butter. Press the crumbs into the bottoms of four 4 1/4-inch disposable aluminum pie pans. Bake until set, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the milk and egg yolks. Stir over medium heat until the mixture just barely comes to a boil and becomes thick, 6 to 8 minutes. The second it starts to bubble and thicken (it should be thick like pudding), remove it from the heat. Add the chocolate, butter and vanilla, then stir until everything is beautifully combined. Pour the pudding into the pie crusts and place in the fridge, uncovered, to chill for 4 hours. Serve topped with whipped cream.

MAMAW PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Bake your pie shells according to package directions and let them cool completely.
• While your pie shells are baking, melt the butter in a skillet over medium and add the pecans and coconut. Toast your coconut and pecans in the butter until they become golden brown (roughly 10 minutes). Keep stirring constantly -- these can scorch easily. Set them aside to let them cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together until creamy. Fold in your whipped topping by hand -- be careful not to "break it down" too much, but still get it incorporated nicely (it's such a fine line, isn't it?).
• Have your baked and cooled pie shells ready to fill -- it's time to start layering!
• Start by using 1/2 of your cream cheese mixture and divide that evenly between the two pie shells (so, technically, each pie will get 1/4 of the mixture).
• Drizzle 1/4 of your caramel sauce over the cream cheese mixture on each pie, use 1/4 per pie and 1/2 the jar total for this layer.
• Sprinkle 1/4 of the pecan/coconut mixture over the caramel on each pie. Again, use 1/2 of the mixture total.
• Repeat the layers, using the remaining ingredients. Place pies in the freezer overnight.
• You'll pull them out about about 20-30 minutes before serving to let them thaw a bit. You can store them in your freezer for about a month. I double wrap mine in Press-N-Seal and then add an additional layer of foil on top of that, to prevent any freezer burn.

MOM'S MOST REQUESTED CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except butter in a saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat until thick like pudding, stirring constantly to prevent scorching and lumping.
• When mixture becomes thick, remove from heat and add butter; stir to combine.
• If lumping does occur, beat filling with a whip.
• Pour into pie shell.
• Make meringue according to your favorite recipe and top pie, sealing the edges with the meringue.
• Bake to brown meringue.
• Best if allowed to cool to lukewarm or room temperature.