Chocolate Pudding Pie with Meringue

Make, roll out, and fully blind bake the sweet pie crust.

When done, it should have no moist spots and be slightly golden brown. Cool completely.

Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a pot until mostly combined.

Add in some of the milk and whisk until incorporated.

Turn on the heat and add the remaining milk and chocolate and whisk.

Continue whisking every once in a while to help the chocolate melt and the sugar dissolve.

Whisk constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens significantly.

Pass the pudding through a fine mesh sieve to remove any chunks and cooked egg pieces.

Whisk in vanilla and butter until the butter melts and incorporates.

The finished pudding will be glossy and smooth.

Spread the pudding into the baked and cooled pie crust and smooth it out. Chill the pie for a few hours until set.

Add the egg whites, sugar and salt into a bowl set over an inch of water.

Whisk until warm and you can no longer feel granules of sugar when you rub your fingers together in the mixture.

Beat the meringue until stiff peaks form.

Melt chocolate and add it to on side of the bowl.

Fold in the chocolate in 2-3 big folds.

Drop the meringue onto the top of the pie.

Use the back of a spoon to very gently push down and pull up to spread the meringue and create peaks before slicing in.