Growing up, I didn’t have birthday cakes. Instead, my mom baked my favorite dessert on the planet — she made me Chocolate Pies.
But these were no ordinary chocolate pies. They were made from a recipe passed down through the Kollenberg family. Rich, thick, dark chocolate filling rests beneath a cloud-like layer of sweet meringue. I can picture those pies with their toasty peaks accented by birthday candles waiting for me to make a wish.
Today is my birthday. So in honor of my family and all the chocolate pies my mom has made for me over the years, I’ll be making my own today. I thought I’d share the recipe.
Mom — thanks for all those birthday pies. Love you!
Kollenberg Cocoa Pie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1-1/2 cups + 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, separated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups milk
- 1 baked pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Mix and sift cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add unbeaten egg yolks with milk and stir well. Cook in double boiler until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from fire. Add vanilla. Pour into baked pie crust. Cover with meringue made from beating egg whites until stiff and then adding 6 tablespoons of sugar. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned.
Happy birthday to me! What’s your go-to birthday dessert?
Image Credit: Mary Gerush
I can vouch for this recipe–it’s fantastic! Happy, Happy Birthday, Mary!
Thanks Ann! You won’t be surprised when I tell you it was chocolate pie soup. But it was dee-li-shus!
Best soup ever!! You are your mother’s daughter!