Fluffy Chocolate Pie

By Addie

“Our tradition was to pick whatever cake or pie you wanted for your birthday. This pie was always my choice.”

Ingredients

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/3 cup chilled orange juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped
• 1 (9-inch) chocolate crumb pie shell
• Chocolate shavings, optional for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

Sprinkle gelatin on top of orange juice in a medium saucepan. Let stand for 1 minute. Add granulated sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring continually, until the sugar and gelatin are dissolved, about 2 minutes.


Add chocolate chips to the orange juice mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.


Beat eggs in a small bowl. Add a small amount of the chocolate mixture to the eggs and mix well. Stir eggs into chocolate mixture.


Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches 140ºF on an instant-read thermometer, about 21/2 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract. Chill, covered, for 30 minutes.


Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into pie shell. Chill, covered, for 3 hours. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.
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Grandma's Secret Trick:

The light touch of orange flavor in this pie appealed to everyone in the family, but Grandma really loved a strong orange flavor with the chocolate. So she sometimes added 1 teaspoon grated orange zest to the chocolate mixture after the chocolate was melted.