Ingredients:

1 fully baked pie shell

Chocolate Filling

4 large eggs, separated

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup cocoa powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

pinch of salt

2⅔ cups (630ml) half and half or milk

¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

Meringue

4 large egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

⅓ cup granulated sugar

Instructions:

Chocolate Filling

1. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and slightly beat the yolks; set both aside. Take great care not to get any yolk with the whites!

2. In a 2 quart saucepan mix together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstartch, and salt. Stir in the half and half OR milk. Cook over medium to medium low heat stirring constantly until mixture begins to boil. 

3. Very slowly add half of the hot chocolate mixture in a thin stream into the egg yolks while whisking. Return everything to the pan and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla; set aside.

Meringue

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Mix with the wire whisk attachment on medium speed just until soft peaks begin to form. 

3. Mixing at high speed slowly add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until whites have stiff peaks and glossy. Take a small amount of mixture and rub between your fingers. If it is gritty mix at high speed until the gritty feel is gone. 

4. Pour hot chocolate filling into baked pie crust. Spread meringue around the edges of the pie making sure to touch the crust the entire way around. Add remaining meringue to the center. With the back of a spoon make pretty swirls. 

5. Bake for 10 minutes or just until the top starts to brown.

6. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Chill for 4 hours before serving. Cover any leftovers and store in the refrigerator. 

Tips:

1. Weeping: After you pour hot chocolate filling into pie dish, immediately add the meringue on top and bake as directed above. By not adding the meringue on top of the hot filling it will form beads of water in between the chocolate and meringue and will make your pie watery.

2. Beading: Sugary water droplets that form on the surface of the meringue. Caused by sugar not dissolving completely during the whipping process or overbaking the pie.

3. Shrinking: The meringue pulls away from the sides or loses volume. Be sure to touch the meringue to the crust the whole way around the pie. Also, cornstarch can be added to prevent volume loss.