At Least It Didn't Catch on Fire

When Zach and I had been dating a few months, I decided I wanted to make him a chocolate pie. Not just any chocolate pie, but Mamaw's chocolate pie. She makes the BEST chocolate pie ever and she almost always makes one for me when I go visit. I've helped her on several occasions and one time I wrote down exactly what we did so that I could attempt this on my own.

It is important to know that I am NOT a cook and this was a pie made from scratch, with the exception of the crust. I followed the recipe exactly and everything looked like I thought it should. The final step is to put the pie in the oven on broil to brown it. I had just finished making a frozen lasagna, so the oven was still warm, but I didn't think it would matter too much. I also did not think or know to adjust the racks to make sure the top of the pie didn't touch get to close to the top of the oven. So, I put the oven on broil and put my pie in for just a couple minutes.

I was cleaning up the mess I had made and I turned around to check on the pie and when I opened the oven door I saw flames. Yes. Flames. My pie was on fire and I froze.

Thankfully the flames just went out on their own. But, needless to say, my pie was burnt. It was awful. I cried and cried. I called my mom for sympathy and she just laughed at me. Literally laughed at me, while I was in tears over my pie catching on fire. Saying something to the effect that I would also laugh at this one day. I also called Zach and had to give away the surprise, but I that point I didn't care. He didn't laugh as hard, but he also laughed.

I'm so glad they got such enjoyment at my expense.

Zach graciously still tried some of the pie, but it was just too burned. Even the chocolate part. He ended up taking me to Zaxby's (my favorite) to try and cheer me up. On the way, I got a call from my dad saying he was from Southern Living magazine, wondering if they could have the recipe for my "Flaming Chocolate Pie". Hilarious. And then he laughed at me.

Four and a half years later I decided to try again. And though it was a little too brown on top... it didn't catch on fire.



Mamaw's Chocolate Pie

1 frozen deep dish pie crust
1 Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoon heaping of cocoa
2 Tablespoon heaping of flour
3 Eggs
1 Can PET milk
1/2 Can whole milk (use the can from the PET milk)
2 Teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1/2 stick Butter
6 Tablespoon Sugar

Instructions:

Cook pie crust as directed. Be sure and push holes in bottom of crust with fork.

Mix: cup of sugar, cocoa, flour, 1 egg yellow and stir with a little PET milk, 1 egg yellow and stir with a little PET milk, and 1 egg yellow and stir with a little PET milk.

Gradually stir the rest of the PET milk, whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring and mix really well.

Microwave on high 5 minutes and stir.

Mix in butter and stir. If not thick enough put back in microwave for a few minutes.

In a separate bowl beat egg whites.
Beat in 6 tablespoons of sugar (2 per egg white) and 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring until peaky. (Taste to see if need more sugar).

Pour chocolate into cooked pie crust. Pour egg white on top and cover completely. Peak with fork.

Broil in oven for a few minutes, until brown.