Nanas Chocolate Pie Food

NANA'S HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Sift and whisk sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt together in a saucepan.
• Heat saucepan over medium heat. Pour milk in slowly, whisking constantly until incorporated. Cook, stirring often with a metal spoon, until pudding is noticeably thicker and clings to the spoon, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Divide between 4 small bowls and serve immediately, or chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

NANA BESSIE'S WHOOPIE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• To make cookies, beat 2/3 cup of vegetable shortening with 2 cups of sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture is creamy. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until thoroughly combined. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the cocoa powder, and baking soda until thoroughly mixed, then beat the flour mixture into the vegetable shortening mixture in several additions, alternating with the milk. Beat dough just until smooth.
• Drop dough by tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart, making the cookies as round as possible. Recipe should yield about 48 cookies.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set in the middle, 15 to 20 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning the cookies. Allow cookies to cool for several minutes on baking sheets before removing to finish cooling on racks.
• To make the filling, pour 3 cups of milk into a large saucepan over low heat, and whisk in 9 tablespoons of flour until smooth. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, whisking constantly, until as thick and smooth as pudding, about 3 minutes. Place the thickened mixture into the refrigerator to cool, about 30 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening with the butter until thoroughly combined, then beat in 2 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Beat the cooled milk mixture into the butter mixture until smooth and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Choose 2 cookies of the same size, and spread a thick layer of filling on the flat side of a cookie; top with remaining cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and frosting.

NANA'S CHOCOLATE CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Mix cake mix, eggs and flavorings until well-blended. (I use a hand mixer and mix for at least 2 minutes.).
• Fold in cherry pie filling (gently).
• Spread batter into a 8" x 12" pan that has been greased and floured.
• Bake at 350 degrees until done. (40-50 minutes, according to the cake mix package.).
• Frost with dark chocolate frosting.

NANA'S RUINED CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• With a fork in a large bowl, thoroughly mix the sugar, salt, cocoa, and corn starch. (Mixture will be the color of sand.)
• With a spoon, cream butter into mixture.
• Beat egg yolks until foamy; add milk to egg yolks and mix thoroughly.
• Stir egg yolks and milk mixture into the sugar, salt, cocoa, corn starch, and butter mixture, stirring until very well mixed.
• Cook in an uncovered sauce pan, over low heat, stirring constantly until boiling. You don't want to scramble the eggs in the mix, so do keep it on low heat. It takes time to bring this to a boil--be patient and don't overcook. Turn down heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook until thick.
• Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and let stand 10 minutes.
• Pour into two 9-inch pie shells and allow to cool.
• Use the 6 egg whites to make meringue topping.
• MERINGUE TOPPING: Add 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and beat the whites until frothy. Add 12 T granulated sugar, a little at a time, until stiff peaks are formed. With a spoon, put mounds of meringue around the edge of the pie filling. Spread to touch inner edge of crust all the way around. Heap remainder of meringue in center of pie and spread to meet the rest of the meringue.
• Slide the pie into oven preheated to 325 degrees. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until meringue is set and soft brown on peaks. For added browning, you can broil the meringue, but watch it very carefully--it does not take long to burn meringue.
• Remove pie from oven and set on a rack to cool for about 20 to 30 minutes. Slice and enjoy the best "ruined" chocolate pie you've ever tasted. :)