Brandy Alexander Pie

This recipe was originally published in 1970, in an article in the New York Times by Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey. I do not use the food coloring, but feel free to color the pie to your liking. "Cooking time" is refrigeration time. When I was submitting this recipe, Food.com made me specify an amount for the gelatin - it would not let me enter "one envelope" - just know that one envelope is the correct amount of gelatin.

• Ready In: 8 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1⁄3 cup  melted butter
• 1⁄4 ounce unflavored gelatin
• 2⁄3 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 3  eggs, separated
• 1⁄4 cup cognac
• 1⁄4 cup Creme de Cacao
• 1  cup heavy cream
•  food coloring (optional)
•  chocolate curls, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º. Combine the graham-cracker crumbs with the butter. Form in a 9-inch pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool.
2. Pour 1/2 cup cold water in a saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over it. Add 1/3 cup sugar, salt and egg yolks. Stir to blend. Place over low heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves and the mixture thickens. Do not boil. Remove from heat.
3. Stir the Cognac and creme de cacao into the mixture. Chill until the mixture starts to mound slightly when nudged with a spoon.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until peaks are firm. Fold the meringue into the thickened gelatin/egg yolk mixture.
5. Whip the cream, then fold into the mixture. Add food coloring if desired. Turn the mixture into the crust, and garnish with chocolate curls. Chill several hours or overnight.