Adjourn to Pie

The El Dorado Western Railway Foundation has a tradition.

Regardless of the scope of discussion or extent of disagreement, the board meeting always adjourns to pie. A slice of pie and cup of juice has a way of placing us at ease. It allows us to relax and turn our attention away from the business of running a railroad.

This evening's meeting is my first turn to bring pie. Each board member is scheduled to bring pie once each year. My next scheduled turn is September 7, 2007.

I had a rare opportunity to bake a chocolate cream pie for the meeting. Baking the pie brought bake fond memories of baking in the Navy. I first worked as a night-shift baker at Naval Air Station Lemore, California while assigned to Attack Squadron 127. Each night the crew baked about 200 single-and double-crust pies.

Always weigh your ingredients for best results.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

This recipe comes from the fourth edition of Professional Baking by Wayne Gisslen.

1 pint milk
2 ounces sugar
2 egg yokes
1 whole egg
1-1/4 ounces cornstarch
2 ounces sugar
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 ounce sweetened chocolate
1 ounce unsalted butter
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, dissolve sugar and in the milk and bring to just a boil. With a wire whisk, beat the eggs yokes and whole egg in a stainless steel bowl. Sift the starch and sugar into the eggs. Beat with the whisk until smooth.

Temper the egg mixture by slowly beating in the hot milk in a thin stream. Return the mixture to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove it from the heat.

Meanwhile, melt the unsweetened and sweetened chocolate together and mix into the hot vainly cream filling. Stir in butter and vanilla. Mix until the butter is melted and completely melted in.

Pour into baked, cooled 9-inch pie shell. Cook, then keep chilled. Topped with whipped cream and cut into 6 or 8 slices as desired.