EASY BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE for Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend. When I was growing up that Labor Day weekend meant the last weekend before school started. We'd go down the shore or up to the mountains, or just kick back at a neighborhood barbecue. Sometimes we'd go to the country and pick blackberries for jam and pies. When I moved to California, I found blackberries everywhere at this time of year -- by the roadside, in the fields, and later in my own backyard! They were a bit of a bramble, prickly bushes, but the blackberries were, oh so, sweet and plentiful!

I used to make an awesome Blackberry Apple Pie, but since this is a Chocolate blog, and this is Labor Day Weekend, I'm recommending this easy and delicious Blackberry Chocolate Chip Pie. I adapted a recipe I found at Allrecipes. com, and there was a caveat with the original: "Adjust the ratio of berries and chocolate chips to suit your preferences." Well, that's wise, so you might have to make it several times, just to get it right.

EASY BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) package pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (I use Trader Joe's pie crusts if I don't make my own)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups blackberries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place one pie crust in bottom of 9 inch pie plate.
In bowl, mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Gently stir in blackberries and chocolate chips. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Transfer to pie crust in pie plate.
Put second pie crust on top, and secure to bottom crust by pressing with fork, or fluting with fingers. Bake 35 minutes in preheated oven, until top is golden brown. Cool slightly before slicing.

CHOCOLATE-BERRY MERINGUE for Fourth of July

Love this Chocolate-Berry Meringue from Better Homes & Gardens for Fourth of July. It's light and healthy, and all Red, White, & Blue! Choose your favorite berries or have a medley. The chocolate curls are the finishing touch and look like fireworks!

Chocolate-Berry Meringue 

Ingredients
1 recipe Chocolate Meringue
1 recipe Raspberry Puree
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and/or sliced strawberries
Bittersweet chocolate curls

Directions 
Prepare Meringue and Raspberry Puree.
In chilled bowl beat cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form; spread onto meringue. Top with berries and chocolate. Drizzle raspberry puree onto plates. Serve meringue wedges atop puree.

Chocolate Meringue 

Ingredients 
6 egg whites
1 cup sugar
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely shredded
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Directions
Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a very large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Draw a 10-inch diameter circle on paper, leaving a 1- to 2-inch margin outside the circle; set aside.
In large mixing bowl beat egg whites with electric mixer on medium to high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar is dissolved. Gently fold in bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, and balsamic vinegar. Spread meringue on circle on prepared baking sheet.
Place in oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Bake for 1 hour.
Remove from oven; cool completely on baking sheet on rack. Carefully remove meringue from parchment; transfer to a serving platter.

Raspberry Puree 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions 
In blender place fresh raspberries. Cover and blend until pureed; sieve, if desired. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in sugar.

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

EASY BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE: Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend. When I was growing up that meant the last weekend before school started. We'd go down the shore or up to the mountains, or just kick back at a neighborhood barbecue. Sometimes we'd go to the country and pick blackberries for jam and pies. When I moved to California, I found blackberries everywhere at this time of year -- by the roadside and later in my own backyard! They were a bit of a bramble. Prickly bushes, but the blackberries were oh so sweet and plentiful!

I used to make an awesome Blackberry Apple Pie, but since this is a Chocolate blog, and this is Labor Day Weekend, I'm recommending this easy and delicious Blackberry Chocolate Chip Pie. I adapted a recipe I found at Allrecipes. com, and there was a caveat with the original: "Adjust the ratio of berries and chocolate chips to suit your preferences." Well, that's wise, so you might have to make it several times, just to get it right.

EASY BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) package pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (I use Trader Joe's pie crusts if I don't make my own)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups blackberries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place one pie crust in bottom of 9 inch pie plate.
In bowl, mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Gently stir in blackberries and chocolate chips. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Transfer to pie crust in pie plate.
Put second pie crust on top, and secure to bottom crust by pressing with fork, or fluting with fingers. Bake 35 minutes in preheated oven, until top is golden brown. Cool slightly before slicing.

Labor Day Blackberry Chocolate Chip Pie

Labor Day Weekend. When I was growing up that meant the last weekend before school started. We'd go down the shore or up to the mountains, or just kick back at a neighborhood barbecue. Sometimes we'd go to the country and pick blackberries for jam and pies. When I moved to California, I found blackberries everywhere at this time of year--by the roadside and later in my own backyard! They were a bit of a bramble. Prickly bushes, but the blackberries were oh so sweet and plentiful!

I used to make an awesome Blackberry Apple Pie, but since this is a Chocolate blog, and this is Labor Day Weekend, I'm recommending this easy and delicious Blackberry Chocolate Chip Pie. I adapted the recipe  I found at Allrecipes. com, and there was a caveat with the original: "Adjust the ratio of berries and chocolate chips to suit your preferences." Well, that's wise, so you might have to make it several times, just so get it right. LOL!

BLACKBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) package pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (I use Trader Joe's pie crusts if I don't make my own)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups blackberries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place one pie crust in bottom of 9 inch pie plate.
In bowl, mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Gently stir in blackberries and chocolate chips. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Transfer to pie crust in pie plate.
Put second pie crust on top, and secure to bottom crust by pressing with fork, or fluting with fingers. Bake 35 minutes in preheated oven, until top is golden brown. Cool slightly before slicing.