LUCY BURDETTE: we are fast approaching the season of publication for A Dish to Die For! So I am diving into old-timey recipes that might have been found in the Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook that features prominently in this installment of the Key West mysteries. Also, I wanted to make a nice dessert for a friend turning 95 who doesn’t care much for cake or chocolate. (I know, right? But it was his birthday!) I thought butterscotch pie might hit the spot since he does love pecan pie. Here’s my rendition, which we all liked a lot.
Ingredients for the crust
One package graham crackers ground up, making about a cup and a half of crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
For the filling:
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Three egg yolks, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the meringue
Three egg whites, room temp
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
Preheat the oven to 350. Crush the graham crackers to crumbs either in a food processor or by placing them in a Ziploc bag and rolling with a big rolling pin. Meanwhile, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Stir the sugar and butter into the crushed crumbs until well combined. Press this mixture into a pie plate, using a big spoon or the bottom of a glass to make sure the crust reaches up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned, then let cool.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and leave them at room temperature. (Cook's note: You might ask the question is it OK if a little bit of the yolk falls into the white? I tried moving ahead with this scenario and you will see that my meringue was not as fluffy as it should have been. So be careful not to contaminate those whites!)
For the butterscotch filling, melt the butter in a medium pan. Whisk in the 6 tablespoons of flour until thick and smooth, almost like a gravy.
Stir in the brown sugar. Stir in the milk and salt until blended and cook this over medium heat until it’s thick and bubbly.
Remove it from the heat. Take about a cup of this hot filling and whisk it into the egg yolks. (You temper the egg yolks this way so they don’t turn into scrambled eggs.) Return the eggs to the pan with the hot filling, bring it to a boil and cook while stirring for another two minutes. Fold this mixture into your graham cracker crust.
To make the meringue, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks appear. Then gradually add in the sugar, still beating, until the peaks are stiff and glossy.
Place the meringue on top of the hot pie filling, pushing the egg whites to the edges.
Bake at 350 until the meringue turns golden, somewhere between 12 and 15 minutes.
Cool the pie for an hour. Then refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.
Serve with ice cream if your special guests prefer this....
That sounds delicious! We love butterscotch-y things.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying the egg whites should have held a sharper shape if they hadn't been contaminated by a bit of yolk?
I think that might be true. I made a key lime pie last week and was super careful, and the meringue was much prettier!
DeleteSounds good! I'm not really a pie person. I like cakes. Might have to be daring and try this pie.
ReplyDeletestrgth4yu(at)hotmail(dot)com
I prefer cakes too, but certain pies grab me:)
Delete