Pi day just got infinitely better!  A rich, chocolate filling and a light meringue crust make a great formula for Pi day.  The meringue crust was something my grandmother made just a few times.  I’d forgotten about it until I was thinking about Pi day and what I could make for my family who doesn’t love almond flour crusts.  Meringues are fantastic simply because they are so low in carbs! Both David and Grace gave it two thumbs up, which rarely happens.  David wanted to know all about the rich, but light filling while Grace and I came up with loads of possibilities for meringue crust variations with different fillings.  David insists that some peanut butter in the filling would take it over the top.  Grace strongly disagrees.  Both would prefer the crust without pecans, but I adore the light crunch and texture of the pecans.

Meringue crust

• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/6 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup powdered sweetener
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Chocolate Cream Filling

• 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, broken into squares
• ¼ cup water
• 1 ¾ cups heavy cream, divided
• 2/3 cup powdered sweetener, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the crust:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 9” pie pan.  Whip the egg whites, cream of

Unbaked Meringue Crust

tartar and salt with a hand mixer until frothy.  Whip in the powdered sweetener and vanilla extract until stiff, glossy peaks form.  Fold in the pecans. Carefully spoon the whipped meringue into the pie pan.  Be sure to push the meringue gently up the sides of the pan, creating a crust with the meringue.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned and set.  Turn the oven off and let the meringue cool inside the oven for at least 1-2 hours. Remove from oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Baked Meringue Crust

To make the filling:

Melt the chocolate on low heat with the water, ¼ cup of the heavy cream, and 1/3 cup of sweetener.  Stir frequently until the chocolate is fully melted and all ingredients are creamy and well blended.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.  When the chocolate mixture has cooled, about 45 minutes, whip 1 ½ cup of whipped cream, the remaining 1/3 cup of powdered sweetener, and extract to stiff peaks.  Fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.

Spoon the filling into the cooled crust, smoothing lightly with a spatula.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours before serving.  Serve cold.  Refrigerate leftovers for up to four days.

Tip:  The meringue crust may deflate slightly or crack as it cools.  It will still be fine when filled.