Ms. Massey’s Chocolate Chiffon Pie

 

 

This came out of the Grit newspaper sometimes in the early 60’s. Ms Massey’s mother sent it to her while she was living in Hopewell, Virginia, which is were I fell in love with my Sunday school teacher.  She made the best treats ever. 

 

1 pastry crust 9” crumb or baked pie shell

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

½ cup of cold water (out of the tap)

½ cup of sugar

¼ cup of cocoa

¼ tsp salt

1 2/3 c of evaporated milk (1 tall can)

1 tsp vanilla

 

Ms. Massey uses vanilla wafers lined in the bottom of the pie (with the baked side down) and stands the wafers around the edge to form the pie shell.

 

Soften the gelatin in a one-quart saucepan with the water.  It works better if you pour the cold water into the saucepan and lean on the edge (place one side of the pan on your cook book so the water is off to one side) then add the gelatin over the top of the water and let sit for a few minutes.  In separate bowl mix the sugar, cocoa and salt thoroughly (this helps….).

 

Add the cocoa-sugar mixture to the gelatin water and mix together.  Place the saucepan on low heat and stir constantly for about five to eight minutes or until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil.  You can tell because you don’t feel the un-dissolved gelatin with your spoon as you stir. 

 

Remove from the heat and stir in one cup of the evaporated milk and chill in one and one-half quart bowl (or your mixing bowl for electric mixer) until firm.  Also put the remaining evaporated milk and vanilla in the refrigerator at the same time so it will be the same temperature as the pie filling mixture. (Ms Massey puts hers in the measuring cup;  don’t worry if it’s not exactly 2/3 of a cup.) 

 

Remove the filling from refrigerator.  Then with a spoon, move the mixture away from the sides of the bowl before mixing (low speed) until the mixture is broken up.   Using the electric mixer beat in the remaining milk and milk mixture on low speed.  Once mixed, change the speed to high until the mixture fills the bowl (almost).   Let stand for approximately 5 minutes or until it mounds when dropped from a spoon back into the bowl. 

 

Gently spread the filling mixture into the piecrust. The recipe calls for you to top with shaved chocolate before refrigerating until firm.  However Ms Massey prefers to top it with cool whip topping then place into the refrigerator (over night or longer) until ready to serve.