Pies for Dessert

New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 899, 26 October 1956, Page 22

Pies for Dessert

AST week we _ considered various meat pies and savoury tarts with the idea of using them as substantial meals and, incidentally, needing less potatoes. Now we will think of the many pies and tarts for the dessert course, ‘especially of chiffon and cream pies, which in some localities have almost taken the place of the good old "deep-dish" pies. These latter, moreover, have tended towards elaboration by the addition of extra fruit and chopped nuts, a little fine sago, arrowroot or cornflour (cornstarch) as a thickening, Spring Rhubarb Pie This one even has an egg in it! Line your pie-plate with the pastry you prefer, keeping back half to cut into strips for making a lattice top. Cut the spring thubarb into -inch pieces (4 cupfuls) and mix with them an egg slightly beaten with a tablespoon of lemon juice and a.teaspoon of grated lemon rind. To this mixture add the following dry ingredients well blended: 1% cup sifted flour, 4% teaspoon salt, 1% teaspoon nutmeg and 14% cups sugar. Turn the whole mixture into the pastry-lined pan, place the lattice-strips neatly in position, flute edges all round, and bake in hot oven (450 degrees) for first 10 minutes, then lower to 350 degrees for nearly an hour. New Rhubarb Pie This is another good one. Stew a pound of rhubarb with water to a pulp. Sweeten and add grated rind of a lemon, a cup of breadcrumbs, an oz. of butter and the beaten yolks of 2 or 3 eggs. Mix well. Pour this mixture into a baked pie shell and bake in a hot oven. Whip the egg whites to a stiff froth with a tablespoon sugar and spread this meringue on top of pie when cooked. Return to oven for a few minutes to set, and brown lightly. Some people prefer to use an unbaked pie shell. If this is done, see that the pastry is very thin, so that it cooks quickly. Butterscotch Pie This recipe comes from a Beverly Hills women’s club. Be sure to have the pie crust thin. A baked pie shell, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 heaped teaspoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 eggs (yolks and whites separate), 1 cup milk. Cream butter, sugar and flour together. Mix yolks of eggs and milk and bring to boiling point. Remove from fire, pour over the first mixture and cook all until thick. Pour into previously baked pie crust, Beat the egg whites to meringue, put over the top, and brown in the oven, Butterscotch Cream Pie One pint milk, 7 tablespoons flour, 4% teaspoon ‘salt, 1 cup brown sugar, a baked pastry shell, 1 large egg, 12 teaspoon vanilla, 14 teaspoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon butter. Scald 142 cups milk. Mix the remainder to a smooth paste with the flour. Add the salt and stir into the milk. Cook and stir till the mixture thickens. Then add the sugar and the egg yolk, beaten light and mixed with a tablespoon of cold water. Cook and stir about 2 minutes longer. Add the butter, vanilla, and vinegar. Half cool, pour into the baked pastry shell. Dot with meringue made from the egg white beaten stiff and mixed with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Then brown the meringue in

a very moderate oven, about 10 minutes. Dutch Apple Tart Make a pastry by sifting together 2

cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, pinch salt. Rub in 3 cup of butter or fat and mix with milk to a dough. Line a well-greased tin about 8 inches square, Peel and core 3 large cooking apples. Cut into lengths, arrange on top of pastry and bake in hot oven about 30 minutes. Have ready creamed together 14 cup butter, 4% cup honey, % teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and spread this on top of the apples. Reduce the heat and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Serve with cream. Pineapple-Peach Pie (Tinned Fruit) A useful pie because of being made with tinned fruit. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry. Mix together 4% cup sifted flour, ¥% cup brown sugar and % teaspoon salt, and add 2 cups of sliced peaches (drained) and 1 cup crushed pineapple (drained). Combine well and put into pastry-lined plate. Pour over it 4 cup of juice from the fruit, a tablespoon lemon juice and a teaspoon of grated rind. Dot with tablespoons of butter, cover with top-crust and flute the edges. Hot oven for first 10 minutes (450 degrees), then 350 degrees for another 14 hour or so. Lemon Chiffon Pie The filling \in a chiffon pie is always made with gelatine. One tablespoon gelatine, 1 cup sugar, 4% cup lemon juice, 4 egg whites, % cup cold water, 4 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, 4% teaspoon salt, Soak gelatine in the cold water. Beat egg yolks till light and add half the sugar, lemon juice and rind and beat. When very light, place

on low heat, and cook, stirring until it is like custard. Add the gelatine and dissolve it. Leave to cool. Add whites beaten stiff with the rest of the sugar. Pour into baked shell; leave to cool and set. Serve with a thin layer of whipped cream. If making orange chiffon pie, substitute 42 cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon orange rind.

NEXT WEEK: Cold Desserts and Ice Cream