Chocolate Cheese Pie

What You Need:

• 1 6-ounce pkg. semisweet chocolate bits
• 2 3-ounce pkgs. cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 graham cracker pie crust

How to Make It:

Melt chocolate over hot, not boiling, water. Cool slightly. Stir cream cheese to soften; blend in 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate and chill until thick; beat smooth. Whip heavy cream; fold into chocolate. Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form; fold into chocolate. Pile into crust. Place in freezer until well chilled; remove from freezer 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Helpful Baking Tip: Before beating egg whites, let them come up to room temperature. You will get more volume when beating.

You may buy a premade graham cracker crust for this recipe but they are very easy to make. The homemade graham cracker pie crust will also taste far better than any store bought one.  Just think how much better your pie will look in a real pie pan instead of an aluminum one.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

What You Need:

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup sugar

How to Make It:

Put the graham crackers in a heavy ziplock bag to crush. Or you can even buy readymade graham cracker crumbs. Melt the butter in the microwave. Use a fork to mix all ingredients together in large mixing bowl. When well blended, but still crumbly, dump into your 9-inch pie pan. Use your fingers to press into place. Chill the crust for about 10 minutes before you add your filling.

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“Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music.”
— Julia Child