Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume IV Part 36

52. To make meringue, first separate the whites from the yolks and chill them thoroughly. Beat them with a fork or an egg whip until they are almost stiff, that is, until they will hold their shape fairly well but will drop from the fork or whip when it is raised. At this point, begin to add the sugar, which, if possible, should be either confectioner's or pulverized, although granulated sugar may be used if the others cannot be obtained. Add the sugar slowly and continue the beating until all of it has been incorporated. The meringue is then ready to place on the filling. It should be remembered that the filling must be partly or entirely cooked before the meringue is applied, so that when the pie is returned to the oven nothing but the meringue will require cooking.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 13]

53. The manner in which meringue is placed on pie has much to do with the appearance of the pie. If it is spread on the filling in an even layer, the pie will invariably look stiff and unattractive. By far the better way is to drop it by spoonfuls roughly over the top of the filling, or first to spread a thin layer over the top in order to cover the entire surface and then to drop the remainder of the meringue over this by spoonfuls. Or, it may be forced through a pastry tube into rosettes or frills of any preferred design. The advantage of applying it unevenly rather than in a thin layer is that the rough surface will brown where the spots are high and the depressions will be a lighter brown or white. When the pie has been covered with meringue, set it in a moderate oven and let it bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it is properly browned, when it will appear as in Fig. 13. By no means allow the meringue to remain in the oven longer than this, for as soon as the baking is completed, it will immediately begin to shrink and toughen.

MERINGUE FOR PIES

2 egg whites 2 Tb. pulverized or granulated sugar Vanilla or lemon juice

Beat the egg whites according to the directions given, add the sugar slowly, and continue the beating. Then add the flavoring. Cover the filling, place in a moderate oven, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

54. b.u.t.tERSCOTCH PIE.--A sweet dessert that is usually a favorite may be had by making b.u.t.terscotch pie. The necessary ingredients for this kind of pie are few and simple. When served with whipped cream in place of meringue, it makes a very rich and delicious dessert.

b.u.t.tERSCOTCH PIE

1 c. brown sugar 1/3 c. corn starch 1/8 tsp. salt 1 c. water, boiling 1-1/2 c. milk 2 Tb. b.u.t.ter 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix the sugar, corn starch, and salt, and add the boiling water to them.

Cook until the mixture has thickened and in the meantime heat the milk.

Stir in the b.u.t.ter, add the milk, and cook the entire mixture in a double boiler for 15 minutes. Add the vanilla. Pour into the baked pie crust, cover with meringue, and bake in a moderate oven, or cook without the meringue, then cool and cover with whipped cream before serving.

55. CHOCOLATE PIE.--Chocolate corn-starch pudding or chocolate blanc mange thickened with any starchy material and poured into a baked crust makes chocolate pie. This may be made as strong with chocolate as desired, but care should be taken not to make it too stiff or it will be pasty.

CHOCOLATE PIE

2-1/2 c. milk 1 c. sugar 2/3 c. flour 1/8 tsp. salt 1-1/2 sq. bitter chocolate 1 egg 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat the milk to scalding in a double boiler. Mix the sugar, flour, and salt and add to the milk. Cook over the flame until the flour has thickened. Return to the double boiler and cook for 10 or 15 minutes longer. Melt the chocolate over hot water and add to the mixture. Beat the egg and add slowly to the mixture, remove from the fire, and add the vanilla. Pour into a baked pie crust, cover with meringue, if desired, and bake in a moderate oven for 10 to 15 minutes. If the meringue is omitted, cool and cover with whipped cream just before serving.

56. COCONUT PIE.--The flavor of coconut added to an already delicious corn-starch custard makes a pie that never fails to tempt the appet.i.te of every one. The crust for a pie of this kind should always be baked in a deep pan.

COCONUT PIE

2 c. milk 1 c. coconut 2/3 c. sugar 1/3 c. corn starch 1/8 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Put the milk in a double boiler and steep the coconut in it until the milk is hot. Mix the sugar, corn starch, and salt, add to the milk, and cook directly over the flame until the mixture has thickened. Return to the double boiler and cook for 10 or 15 minutes longer. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and pour into a baked pie crust. Cover with meringue, if desired.

57. CRANBERRY PIE.--Persons who are fond of cranberries are always pleased when cranberry pie is served. As these berries are somewhat tart in flavor, more sugar than is generally used for pie is needed. Before the berries are put on to cook, they should be cleaned according to the directions given in _Fruit and Fruit Desserts_.

CRANBERRY PIE

1 qt. cranberries 1-1/2 c. water 2 c. sugar

Cook the cranberries and water in a closed vessel until the skins have cracked and then add the sugar. Cook for a few minutes longer to allow the sugar to dissolve. Pour into an unbaked pie crust and cover with half-inch strips of paste placed over the top to form a lattice effect.

Place in a moderate oven and bake until the crust is nicely browned.

58. CREAM PIE.--The plain corn-starch custard mixture used for cream pie may be flavored as desired. The combination of lemon and vanilla is suggested here to give something a little unusual. If the pie is to be eaten at once upon being made, a layer of sliced bananas or other fresh fruit may be placed on the crust and the custard poured over it after being cooked sufficiently not to affect the fruit. In such an event, the meringue must be baked very quickly, or whipped cream may be used in place of it. This pie may be made with one egg if desired.

CREAM PIE

2-1/2 c. milk 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. flour 1/8 tsp. salt 2 eggs 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Scald the milk in a double boiler. Mix the sugar, flour, and salt and stir into the hot milk. Cook over the fire until the flour has thickened. Place in a double boiler and cook for 10 or 15 minutes longer. Beat the yolks of the eggs and add them to the mixture. Remove from the heat, add the flavoring, and pour into the baked crust of a pie. Make meringue of the whites of the eggs, cover the mixture, place in a moderate oven, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

59. CUSTARD PIE.--Custard pie is made with the usual proportion of milk and eggs necessary for thickening. A dash of nutmeg is considered to improve the flavor and it also makes the surface of the pie a little more attractive.

CUSTARD PIE

3 eggs 3 c. milk 3/4 c. sugar 1/8 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla

Beat the eggs slightly and add the milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla.

Partly bake the crust for the custard, but remove it from the oven before it has begun to get crisp. Pour in the custard, place in a moderate oven, and bake until a knife will come out clean when inserted.

The custard should by no means be overbaked, as the result will be the same curding that occurs in an ordinary baked custard.

60. DATE CREAM PIE.--Using dates for pie is a rather unusual means of adding them to the diet, but it is a very good one and produces an excellent dessert. If desired, more of the date puree may be added to the mixture that is given in the recipe. The result will be a filling that has more of the date flavor.

DATE CREAM PIE

1-1/2 c. stoned dates 1/2 c. water 2 eggs 2 c. milk 1/4 c. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Steam the dates in the water in a double boiler until they are soft.

Rub through a sieve. Beat the eggs slightly and add them with the milk to the dates. Add the sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pour into a partly baked pie crust, place in a moderate oven, and continue the baking as for custard pie.

61. LEMON PIE NO. 1.--A plain lemon pie that is comparatively inexpensive may be made by following the directions given here. More eggs, of course, will make a better pie and they may be added if desired. Grating the rind of the lemon adds flavor to the filling, but too much will give a bitter taste. Lemon juice should never be cooked with the corn starch, as the filling will gradually become thinner and the starch will lose its value as a thickening agent.

LEMON PIE NO. 1

2 c. water 1 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1/3 c. corn starch 2 eggs 1/4 c. lemon juice Grated rind of 1 lemon

Bring the water to the boiling point. Mix the sugar, salt, and corn starch and add to the water. Cook directly over the flame until the mixture is thickened and then place in a double boiler. Separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and to them add the lemon juice and the grated rind of the lemon. Beat all well and add to the corn-starch mixture.

Remove from the fire and pour into the baked crust of a pie. Make meringue of the egg whites and place on top of the filling. Brown in the oven, cool, and serve.

62. LEMON PIE NO. 2.--The accompanying recipe is similar to lemon pie No. 1, except that it contains some b.u.t.ter and in quant.i.ty is a larger recipe. If more than one pie is desired at a time, it is easy to multiply the quant.i.ties given.

LEMON PIE NO. 2

1-1/2 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 2/3 c. corn starch 3 c. water 2 eggs Grated rind of 1 lemon 1/2 c. lemon juice 2 Tb. b.u.t.ter

Mix the sugar, salt, and corn starch and add to the boiling water. Cook directly over the flame until the mixture becomes thick. Then place in a double boiler. Separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and add to them the grated rind of lemon and the lemon juice. Stir all into the corn-starch mixture. Add the b.u.t.ter, and when it has melted remove from the heat.

Pour the mixture into the baked crust of a pie. Make meringue of the egg whites, cover the filling with the meringue, and bake in a moderate oven until a delicate brown.

63. ORANGE PIE.--An orange pie is similar to a lemon pie, except that orange juice, together with grated orange rind, is used to give flavor and a little lemon juice is added for acidity. Pie of this kind makes a pleasing change from the desserts usually served.

ORANGE PIE

2 c. water 1/2 c. corn starch 1 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 2 eggs Grated rind of 1 orange 1/2 c. orange juice 2 Tb. lemon juice

Bring the water to the boiling point. Mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt and add to the water. Cook directly over the flame until the corn starch has thickened. Place in a double boiler. Separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and to them add the grated rind of the orange and the orange and lemon juice. Beat well and add to the corn-starch mixture. Remove from the heat and pour into a baked crust of a pie. Make meringue of the egg whites, cover the filling, and bake until a delicate brown in a moderate oven.