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Sample Recipes
from American Pie
by Pascale Le Draoulec, 2002

Bonnie Bale's Blink-of-an-Eye Butterscotch Pie
Evaline's Banana Cream Pie
Shoofly Pie

Bonnie Bale's Blink-of-an-Eye Butterscotch Pie

Crust
1-9 inch pie crust

Filling
3 eggs
2-1/2 cups milk
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup cornstarch, plus 1 heaping tablespoon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup white sugar

Separate the eggs, being careful not to get any of the yolk into the whites. Using a whisk, beat the eggs yolks in a mixing bowl. Add milk. Mix well. Stir in brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Mix well. Add the butter, in pieces. Cook the mixture on "high" in the microwave for about 8 minutes, pausing to stir every couple of minutes or so. Pour the cooked mixture into a ready-to-go pie crust and let it cool.

To make your meringue, make sure you use a bowl this is absolutely grease-free. Beat egg whites on a high speed with a hand-held mixer until they are very stiff. Gradually add 1/3 cup of white sugar while still beating, then add a heaping tablespoon of cornstarch and beat well. Spoon the meringue onto the pie, and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until golden-brown, about 15 minutes.

Evaline's Banana Cream Pie

Crust
1 9-inch pie crust
 
Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup light cream (half-and-half)
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon banana extract
1-2 bananas, depending on size

Whipped-Cream Topping
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt

Combine sugar, salt and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl and set aside.

Scald milk and cream and slowly beat in the sugar mixture. Cook on low flame until filling thickens.

Beat a small amount of this filling into your 3 beaten egg yolks. Mix thoroughly, then incorporate egg mixture into the filling. Cook at low temperature, stirring constantly, until thick, about 3-4 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add butter and flavorings. Pour 1/3 of filling into prebaked pie shell. Slice bananas on top. Add remainder of the filling.

Let cool. Beat topping ingredients together until thick. Slather on pie.

Shoofly Pie

Pastry for a one-crust, 9-inch pie

1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 rounded tablespoon cold butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup light molasses
3/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out the pie pastry and line a 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.

In a food processor bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, butter and salt. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside. Transfer the rest to a medium mixing bowl. In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly. Add the molasses and cold water, and blend but do not beat; you don't want bubbles in the batter. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the hot water with the baking soda and blend into the molasses mixture. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Pour into the pie shell and top with the reserved crumbs. Bake for 35 minutes. The pie will appear quivery but will firm up as it cools. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before cutting.

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