The dessert that saved my marriage

I make somewhere in the neighborhood of a dozen pies for our California holiday celebrations each year. There's at least one for Christmas dinner, of course, but I also make them for parties and for New Year's Eve.

And I suspect my wife would have me making Annabelle's Christmas Pie for Valentine's Day, Easter, and the Fourth of July if peppermint ice cream were available for more than the few weeks before Christmas.

3 (9-inch) deep-dish frozen pie crusts
About 1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
Meringue (see recipe at right)

Bake pie crusts according to package directions. (Be sure to prick holes in dough before baking.) Allow to cool to room temperature.

Line up baked pie shells on counter and add softened ice cream to each to fill about one-third of the shell, spreading it evenly. Place in freezer to let the ice cream harden again.

When ice cream layer is about frozen, mix sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in a medium saucepan. Over low heat, stir constantly until chocolate melts. Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes.

Remove pies from freezer and top each with a layer of chocolate sauce. Return to freezer to let harden. (It hardens quickly.)

Remove pies from freezer and add another layer of softened ice cream (to just below top edge of crust). Return to freezer to harden.

Remove pies from freezer and top with more chocolate sauce. Return to freezer. Once the filling is frozen, cover with plastic wrap. The pies can be prepared up to a week ahead. Just before serving, top with meringue and bake briefly (see meringue recipe).

Makes 3 pies.

Note: The chocolate sauce can be refrigerated and then reheated if you want to make the pies separately.

To make slightly different peppermint pies, put a layer of chocolate sauce on the bottom of the baked pie crust, chill; top with ice cream, freeze; top with chocolate sauce, chill; and finally, add another layer of ice cream. Omit the meringue.

3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Note: This meringue recipe makes enough for just a single pie. If serving all 3 pies at once, make 3 batches of meringue, one after another.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Place egg whites, sugar, and vanilla in a clean, dry mixing bowl. With electric mixer at high speed, beat until stiff peaks form.

With rubber spatula, transfer meringue from bowl to top of pie. Cover pie, sealing the edges.

Place pie in a preheated oven and bake 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

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