Chocolate Banana Rum Pie

Dessert is typically a sweet course that concludes a meal. There is a wide variety of desserts in western cultures including cakes, cookies, biscuits, gelatins, pastries, ice creams, pies, pudding, and candies. Fruit is also commonly found in dessert courses because of its natural sweetness. Many different cultures have their own variations of similar desserts around the world. In Russia, many breakfast foods such as blint, oladi, and syrniki can be served with honey and jam, making them popular as desserts.

Desserts were first made using natural ingredients that were locally available. In ancient civilizations people enjoyed dried fruits, honeycomb, or nuts and these items were considered the first “candy”. When sugar began to be manufactured in the Middle Ages more sweet desserts became available. However, even then, sugar was so expensive usually only the wealthy could indulge on special occasions. The first apple pie recipe was printed in 1381.

Chocolate began to be appreciated in the Amazon 2000 BC. However, it was in central Mexico that the Aztecs recognised its qualities in a very tangible form – they used cacao beans as currency. 100 beans would buy a slave!

Cacao was worshipped by the Mayan civilisation of central America who considered it to be “the food of the gods” and also believed it to be a serious aphrodisiac. Cacao arrived in Spain in the early 17th century and soon spread throughout Europe, arriving in England in the mid sixteen hundreds. The first chocolate house opened in 1657 in London, selling hot chocolate.

Chocolate Banana Rum Pie

Ingredients:

• 9 inch Pastry shell, baked
• 1 cup Sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon unflavored Gelatin
• Dash of Salt
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 Eggs, separated
• 6 ounces semi-sweet Chocolate
• ⅓ cup Banana Rum
• ½ pint Whipping Cream
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

In saucepan, combine ½ cup sugar, gelatin and salt. Stir in milk and beaten egg yolks.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and stir until melted. Add rum and chill until partially set.  Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture and pour into pastry shell.

Beat whipping cream with vanilla extract and remaining sugar until stiff.  Spoon over top of pie and chill for several hours before serving.