Chocolate Pie and Writer's Challenge

JAN BROGAN: We will talk about our brains later and our stomachs first.

When my friend Beth offered to bring a chocolate pie for dessert, I asked, "do you mean chocolate cream pie?" She said no, and I was deeply disappointed.

But not for long because the chocolate pie she brought was both unusual and unbelievably good. It almost tastes like there is caramel in it, which I can't figure out from the ingredients, but maybe it comes from the below joythebaker pie crust. Anyway, you can top it with fresh whipped cream, so there's no real loss in the cream department. It's also incredibly easy. So here goes.

Minny's Chocolate Pie - although Beth was the one who made it for me.

1 packaged pie dough crust. (Or you can follow the link to a really, easy no-roll pie crust that you can't beat.) http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/10/easy-no-roll-pie-crust

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

2 large eggs beaten

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

whipping cream for serving.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. East the pie crust into the 9 inch pie plate (Crimp edges if you want to be decorative) Prick the crust lightly all over with a fork and line with foil or parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for fiteen minutes or until set. Remove foil and waits and bake for five minute longer. Do not brown.

While it's baking, whisk the sugar, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, vanilla, salt and evaporated milk until smooth.

Pour into the pie shell and bake for about forty five mintues until the filling is mostly set at the edges but loose in the center. Cover the crust strips of foil halfway through the baking (I generally skip this part just watch it closely). When done, let the pie cool on a rack completely before cutting into wedges. Serve with whipped cream.

Now back to our brains: Writer's Challenge coming soon.

For those of you new to the blog, this will be our third challenge and it's usually a bit hit. The more the merrier so spread the word. I'm thinking six weeks, but could be talked into eight. The goal is get us writing on a regular basis and to enjoy rather than avoid it.

Please feel free to offer suggestions about making the challenge better. You can post comments today or contact me through my website www.janbrogan.com No promises, but all comments will be taken seriously and I'll do my best to create and new and improved Writer's Challenge.