Mile - High PIES

Go big on dessert: These crowd-pleasing diner pies are totally over-the-top!

- KHALIL HYMORE AND STEVE JACKSON

Mile-High S’MORES PIE

ACTIVE: 50 min

TOTAL: 50min (plus 3 hr chilling)

SERVES: 8 to 10

FOR THE CRUST

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (from 10 to 12 crackers)

3 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING

2 cups whole milk

4 large egg yolks

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

FOR THE MERINGUE

5 large egg whites

¾ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

Pinch of salt

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 .̊Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl until combined. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes; set aside to cool.

2. Make the filling: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until almost simmering. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl to make a thick paste. Whisk about one-third of the warm milk into the egg mixture until smooth. Add this mixture to the remaining milk in the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, until it starts to bubble and thicken, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, whisking, until thick like pudding, 1 to 2 more minutes.