I talk a lot about my grandmothers, but they were everything you’d hope for when it came to cooking and baking. Each year was a parade of different pies, influenced by the fruits that were in-season. But chocolate pie – now that was a different story. You see, in my family, chocolate is always in season.
The preparation of fruit pies often took the better part of a day, considering the dough was made from scratch, the fruits were fresh or had been canned the year prior, and the toppings were dough or intricate lattice strips made from dough, or the ultimate meringue. It topped lemon, coconut cream, rhubarb and sweet potato pies, but it also crowned chocolate with sweet, delicious toasted peaks.
It Was A Different Time
Chocolate and lemon pies were the exception from scratch fillings. Typically, both grandmothers used an instant pudding mix. It seems like cheating today, but chocolate was quite expensive for them and typically reserved for holidays. Today, we have the ability to create chocolate fillings from scratch, to match the homemade style and appeal of the crust and topping. You can still create shortcuts, like using a good pre-baked pie shell to save time, while focusing more on the filling and topping.
This recipe for Chocolate Cream Pie is another in our series from TCHO, the Berkley-based ethically sourced chocolate company. I still have a bag of the Cinnamon Spice Bites hidden in my desk, but I fear my co-workers are onto me. The chocolate ingredients in this pie can be purchased online here.
Two Bakes Baking And A Spare
This recipe was created for TCHO by Three Babes Bakeshop, which is actually two fierce women who’ve been friends since 3rd grade. They love baked goods and source many of their fresh ingredients from local farmers, who’ve been friends of their families for years. Even their parents work together. Thanks to Anna and Lenore for sharing their take on a Chocolate Cream Pie that my grandmothers would have been proud to serve.
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