West Gadsden Cafe Chocolate Pie

West Gadsden Cafe Chocolate Pie

The chocolate pie at West Gadsden Cafe was probably the most ordered pie of all.  It sure is a favorite of my family and friends.  Usually I make a pudding instead of a pie, it seems to go further and my family is not fond of the pie crust.  I add a little more milk and I don't cook it as long.  I still make sure it is thick enough before I pour it in the bowl.  Sometimes I use Vanilla Wafers in the pudding and sometimes it is plain.  Just a note:  Mother always cooked the pies in a large double boiler, but I just cook mine in a heavy pan but I stir it constantly with a wire whip.

This is a picture of the pie made as a pudding.  This is just one recipe.

Chocolate Pie

1 Cup Sugar
1 pinch salt
4 Tablespoons Corn Starch
5 Tablespoons unsweetened Cocoa
4 Eggs (Yellows)
2 Cups Milk (Full Cups)
1/2 Stick Margarine or Butter (Do Not Melt First)
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Mix all dry ingredients well.  Add egg yolks and mix with a little bit of milk.  Add rest of milk and mix well before adding the stick of butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.  If it starts to cook too fast, turn the heat down just a bit.  If it cooks too fast, it will lump.  If you are making a pie pour the cooked mixture in a cooked pie shell.  You can use a graham cracker crust if that is what you prefer.

Meringue

4 Egg Whites
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cream of Tartar
Water

Mix sugar and cream of tartar until mixed well.  Add just enough water to make it liquid.  Beat egg whites with mixer on high until lightly stiff.  Add sugar mixture and continue beating until stiff.  Top the pie with the egg white mixture and brown in the oven.

This is a pudding that is four recipes (Cooked in a dutch oven on top of stove).  This is for the Baby YaYa--Nina's Birthday!!!!!!  She always request the chocolate pudding instead of a cake.

The cafe always made their pies with a pastry type crust and with a graham cracker crust so the customers had a choice.   The staff and customers were like family.  Most of the waitresses knew which crust their regular customers preferred.  I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.