Chocolate Cream

[ea56]

is the pie for this week.

David has been hinting around for weeks that I haven’t made a Chocolate Cream Pie for a while. So this morning I whipped one up.

Hint for keeping the Whipped Cream from “falling”. When whipping the cream as it reaches the soft peak stage have ready a cooled mixture of 1 tsp unflavored gelatin dissolved in 1 tbs water for each cup of whipping cream, that you have nuked for 10 secs on high to thoroughly dissolve the gelatin. As the soft peaks form slowy add this mixture while continuing to whip on high until stiff peaks form. You can keep this whipped cream under refrigeration for up to 4 days and it will be as good on the fourth day as it was on the first.

I make the filling in the MW oven instead of on the stove, easy breezy never any scorching or lumps and no constant stirring, just a whisking every 2-3 mins.

Eddie

 

[mattl]

Once again looks great! If I wasn't slowly finishing my cookies I'd be making one tonight.

 

[gredmondson]

That is an impressive pie!

 

[circlew]

Looks delicious, Eddie

I've not made a chocolate cream pie (or any kind) for a long time. When I did, I usually used a recipe on the Argo cornstarch box, which was a basic recipe that could be modified for various flavors. I always topped them with meringue rather than whipped cream.

Is whipped cream more popular than meringue as a pie topping in your area? My mom always used meringue, as do most people around here. Most restaurants do too, with the exception of Frisch's Big Boy, which uses cream on their chocolate and coconut cream pies.

 

[ea56]

Thanks Tom,

Yes, most people around here would top a cream pie with whipped cream rather than meringue, maybe its more of a West Coast thing. I’ve done it both ways and I prefer whipped cream, especially if the whole pie isn’t going to be served the day its baked. To me meringue just doesn’t keep so well, it always seems to weep some the day after its baked.

The last time I made a cream pie with meringue was in June 2016. It was a Coconut Cream pie and was the dying wish of my cousin Helen who was 4 months younger than I.

The family had a big birthday celebration in June for Helen and combined Christmas with it too as she wasn’t expected to live much longer. When I asked Helen what she wanted me to make for her she instantly said, “a Coconut Cream pie Eddie, just like Mom made”, my Aunt Louise, with meringue.

She was too ill to even eat any of it, but I sat next to her all during the party and she clutched that pie, and wouldn’t let anyone touch it. It broke me heart to see her so ill that she couldn't even eat pie. My family all loves to eat! She miraculously lived until a week before Thanksgiving. I’m glad that we had that last Christmas for her in June.

Eddie[this post was last edited: 1/9/2021-16:37]

 

[perc-o-prince]

Hey Eddie,

 

That pie with meringue could have tasted like crap-in-a-crust (not that it would!!!!!), but the memory would make it sweet as candy!!

 

Hug,

Chuck

 

[mattl]

Lemon has to have meringue for me, chocolate - whipped cream only.

 

[warmsecondrinse]

I've never had or even heard of meringue with chocolate cream, but I'd be willing to try

 

[circlew]

I'm thinking meringue is more common in the south, and in more rural Midwest areas, whereas whipped cream is more " big city".

 

[ea56]

Tom

I think you’re right about meringue being more of common in the South and Midwest and rural areas.

Also, since most cream pie fillings require 3 egg yolks, it makes sense in the days prior to refrigeration to use the remaining 3 whites for a meringue so as not to waste them and the meringue can also be kept without refrigeration.

Not to mention, in the days when money was tight during the Depression no housewife was going to throw out 3 egg whites. I’m pretty sure this is why my Aunt Louise topped her Coconut Cream pie’s with meringue instead of whipped cream.

Eddie[this post was last edited: 1/10/2021-10:27]