The chocolate cream pie is delicious and reasonably easy to prepare. It can be made ahead of time and stored up to 2 days in the refrigerator. To taste the pie with some of our ZMV Syrah Port is to die for. Try it during the holidays to impress your friends with your cooking and wine pairing skills.

Makes 1 eight inch pie

1 twelve ounce box chocolate wafers
7 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar
8 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped or grated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large egg whites

1. Place the chocolate waters in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, and stir until well combined. Press into an 8-inch spring-form pan, evenly coating the bottom and lower half of the sides. Cover pan with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

2. Pour the milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk, and let soften for 5 minutes. Place the cream and 2 Tbs. sugar in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil; stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add gelatin mixture, and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla; cover, and let stand for 3 minutes. Stir until thoroughly combined.

3. Pass mixture through a fine sieve into the prepared cookie crust; leave behind any undissolved chocolate to prevent filling from becoming grainy. Return filled crust to refrigerator for 6 hrs or overnight.

4. Place egg whites and remaining _ cup of sugar in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer and place over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir constantly until the egg whites are warm to the touch and the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Raise speed to high and beat until stiff and glossy but not dry, about 1_ minutes.

5. Remove pie from refrigerator. Using a rubber spatula, drop the meringue on top, lifting to make tall peaks. Place under broiler, watching carefully since it will brown quickly.

6. Chill pie in the refrigerator and serve cold.

*Adapted from Living, February 2002