Chocolate Chiffon Pie

Since darling hubby dislikes fruit (I know!!! How unfair is that!!!) I make him a chocolate pie during the holidays.  He will eat pumpkin pie and lemon meringue pie as well, but chocolate is his favorite.  I've got a recipe I've always used for chocolate cream pie (courtesy of Betty Crocker) that I've always made in the past but this year I wanted to try a different recipe.  I thought I would give the Chocolate Chiffon Pie a try that is in my Fannie Farmer Cookbook.  While chocolate cream pie uses cornstarch as a thickener, the chiffon pie relies on plain gelatin.  The pie was rather luscious.  I used a simple graham cracker crust, but it would work in a precooked pastry crust, cookie crust, or whatever other crust you crave.

Chocolate Chiffon Pie      
adapted from Fannie Farmer Cookbook
Graham Cracker Crust
 1 1/2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter.

Chocolate Chiffon
4 eggs, separated
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1 envelope PLAIN gelatin (Knox brand is what I used)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the crumbs, sugar and butter together in a bow.  Press the crumb mixture into a 9 inch pan, including up the sides.  Bake 8-10 minutes; or until lightly toasted.
Using a heavy 2 quart pan, pour in the milk and sprinkle gelatin over it; let soften for about 3 minutes.  Add the sugar, salt, and egg yolks to the milk mixture and beat with beater to blend thoroughly. Cook and stir over low heat until slightly thickened (do not boil); add the cocoa and mix completely.
Remove from heat. Chill until thickened slightly further.

Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until they stand in soft peaks–like you would for a meringue. GENTLY fold beaten whites into the chocolate mixture–you want there to be plenty of air bubbles, and yes, it will look a little strange.  Spoon into prepared crust and chill until ready to serve