Christmas in Retrospect

I had actually planned to post this the day after Christmas, but I totally forgot.  So, here it goes ... My Christmas Eve Chocolate Pie and Vietnamese Coffee!!!  Unfortunately, my husband and I were the only ones able to enjoy the fruits of my labor due to a visit to the ER (unrelated to the pie or cooking of the pie).

Not being much of a pie person, I surprisingly adopted this pie recipe just recently.  And, I have to tell you, for not being a pie person - I love this pie!  I've made some changes to the original recipe I found online, so this one is definitely an Abbey Original.  Instead of using evaporated milk, I use sweetened condensed milk, which also allows me to cut out the granulated sugar ingredient from the original recipe. I feel this brings out the semi-sweet chocolate better, while also making a creamier pie.  Plus, I usually have some leftover condensed milk, so I use it to make Vietnamese Coffee.  My Vietnamese Coffee has a holiday twist - I add cinnamon to the coffee grounds before brewing.

Chocolate Pie
Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 30

1 - 9 in. Pillsbury pie crust
1/2 cup butter
4 oz dark chocolate
6 oz sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 tsp imitation rum extract (substitution: pure vanilla extract)
1 tbsp flour

1) Blind bake pie crust for 8 minutes at 400 degrees (perforate the sides and bottom of the crust in your pie dish with a fork before baking).  2)  Once crust is done, remove and lower oven temp to 375 degrees.  3) In a nonstick frying pan or sauce pan, melt the butter and chocolate on low heat (I use level 3 or 4 on my stove).  4) Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, rum extract and sweetened condensed milk. (I use a hand-held mixer for this step)  5) In a small bowl, combine flour and a few tablespoons of the melted chocolate together (this will keep your pie from getting lumpy when you add the flour later).  6) Also combine a few tablespoons of the melted chocolate to the egg mixture (this will gently pre-heat the eggs so that they won't fry when you add them to the melted chocolate).  7)  Add flour and egg mixtures to the melted chocolate on the stove, increase heat to medium, and stir constantly for about 10 minutes.  8) Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into your pre-baked pie crust.  9) Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes.  If you notice bubbling as it bakes, you can stick a few toothpicks into the pie to keep it down, or just let it bubble up - whichever you prefer!

Vietnamese Coffee
Prep time: 5 minutes

coffee grounds
water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6 oz sweetened condensed milk

In a coffee maker, add 1 tsp cinnamon to your coffee grounds, and brew enough coffee for two.  While the coffee brews, divide the leftovers of your sweetened condensed milk evenly between two tall glasses.  Add 4-5 ice cubes to each cup.  Once your coffee is brewed, pour into your over the ice and milk.  Each person gets a spoon to stir the mixture.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns!

Isaiah 52:7 (AMP)