SOUTHERN LIVING CHOCOLATE PIE RECIPES

Steps:

• Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Stir until mixture is well combined and resembles damp sand. Press on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate.
• Bake in preheated oven until crust is firm, dry, and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Prepare the Marshmallow Layer: Spread marshmallows in an even layer on bottom of baked Graham Cracker Crust. Return crust to preheated oven, and bake just until marshmallows begin to melt, about 3 minutes. (Do not let marshmallows turn brown or crisp.) Remove from oven, and spread melted marshmallows into an even layer using a small offset spatula or the back of a teaspoon. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Prepare the Chocolate Filling: Combine chocolate chips in a large bowl. Bring cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Cook until cream is very hot and bubbles start to form around edges of pan. Remove from heat, and immediately pour over chocolate chips. Let stand 1 minute. Add butter and salt, and whisk until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth. Gently whisk in vanilla, and, if desired, whiskey. Cool to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. (Filling should be thickened but still pourable.)
• Spoon Chocolate Filling over melted marshmallow in piecrust, and spread in an even layer. Loosely cover pie with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature 8 hours or overnight. (No need to refrigerate the pie. It is best left at room temperature.)
• Prepare the Marshmallow Meringue: Fill a medium saucepan one-third full of water, and bring it to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to low, maintaining a simmer.
• Whisk together egg whites, sugar, light corn syrup, cream of tartar, and salt in a large heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. (Or use a double boiler instead of saucepan and heatproof bowl.) Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar completely dissolves. Remove bowl from heat.
• Beat mixture with an electric mixer on medium speed until mixture begins to thicken, scraping down sides of bowl often to maintain a smooth texture, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Increase mixer speed to high, and continue beating and scraping down sides as mixture thickens and becomes smooth and shiny. Continue beating until mixture becomes a glossy meringue that holds its shape, clings to a spoon, forms curly peaks, and leaves tracks from beaters in surface, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add vanilla bean paste. Beat on high speed, scraping down sides of bowl often, until meringue starts to lose its glossy shine and develops a sheen, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Spoon Marshmallow Meringue over top of pie. (Use meringue within 2 to 3 hours for fluffiest texture, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Meringue will lose a little of its puffiness and loft but remain beautiful, usable, and delicious.)

Steps:

• Prepare the Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together crushed cookies, melted butter, and granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Firmly press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. (You will have about 2 tablespoons left over. Discard or reserve for another use.) Bake until just set, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; cool completely on a wire rack, about 20 minutes.
• Prepare the Filling: Heat milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high until it just comes to a simmer. Stir in mint sprigs, and remove from heat. Cover and let steep 15 minutes. Remove and discard mint. 
• Stir together egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Very slowly and gradually whisk half of the steeped milk into egg mixture. Whisk egg mixture into remaining steeped milk in saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium, stirring constantly. Continue simmering, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in butter 1 tablespoon at a time until incorporated. Add chocolate bar, chocolate square, and vanilla, stirring until mixture is melted. Remove from heat.
• Spoon Filling into cooled Crust; cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly over surface of Filling. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
• Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove plastic wrap from pie. Spread top with whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings and small mint leaves.