In case you haven’t noticed, the best Caroline—aka 2.0—adores chocolate and loves pie. So when I had a request for a chocolate pie for a friend’s birthday, I knew who to turn to. She sent me a few options, but highly recommended this one. This recipe is adapted from Mrs. Rowe’s little book of Southern Pies. We adjusted the recipe to be 1.5 times the original, since all of our pie pans tend to be more of a deep dish like this one. I think next time, I will toast the coconut, if for no other reason than the incredible smell that permeates the house, plus eating. This pie is definitely one to keep in the rotation!

German Chocolate Pie

1 pre-baked pie shell

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
6 oz. German sweet cooking chocolate, chopped (I used semi-sweet chocolate and was happy with the results)
1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 egg yolks, beaten
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping:
1 egg, beaten
7.5 oz. evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter
2 1/4 cups coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
To make the filling, combine the sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan, then stir in the milk, chocolate, and butter. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Turn down the heat to medium and continue to cook and whisk another 2 minutes. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture in to the egg yolks, then pour the yolk mixture into the saucepan. Return to a boil over medium heat and cook and whisk another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, then pour the filling into the crust.

To make the topping, combine the egg, milk, sugar, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until just thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut and pecans, then spread the topping evenly over the chocolate filling.

Cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then chill in the refrigerator for several hours before slicing. Serve chilled.

Recipe adapted from Mrs. Rowe’s little book of Southern Pies.

-CK 1.0