Thursday, April 18, 2013

Mom's Vanilla Pie







I've been making a "pie of the month" since January and for my April pie I chose to make 
Mom's Vanilla Pie.  I'm not sure why it's called this because it is more like a Maple Syrup Pie and 
it resembles shoo-fly pie!  Mom's Vanilla Pie was the farmer's absolute favourite pie that my mom
made - and she made a lot of pies!!

Her recipes were vague with measurements like "heaping" or "scant" and no methods were given.  I followed her instructions as best I could and hoped for the best.

This is how she wrote down the recipe - I've added my tweaks in italic:

Vanilla Pie

Makes 3 pies - I made half the recipe for one large pie
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Maple Syrup
2 Cups warm water
1 heaping Tbsp. corn starch
2 tsp. vanilla 
1 egg
Boil and cool - I lightly whisked the ingredients together and stirred it as it boiled and thickened.
    The syrup thickened but looked a bit curdled.  I added a Tbsp. of butter and the vanilla and then
   let it cool slightly.

Pour the slightly cooled syrup into an unbaked pie shell and top with crumbs.

Crumbs
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Cups Flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 Cup Butter or Lard - I used butter
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients and spoon on top of the syrup filling

Bake at 375F for 25 min. - I started the oven off hotter for 5 minutes and then lowered the temp. to 375F - mine got a bit over baked and dark so I should have followed Mom's instructions closer on this!


This pie was always served with a nice splash of fresh maple syrup and we like it with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream too.  Definitely a "sweet tooth" kind of dessert.  The farmer approved - so I guess it was a success......




Oh my, it's almost midnight and 1/2 the pie is gone!  Oops.


There you have it - my April Pie post!

Till next time ............... hoping that April showers will indeed bring May flowers - oh, how I could use a bouquet of fresh Spring flowers right now!!

BTW - I have the new Mennonite Girls Can Cook "Celebrations" book and am thoroughly enjoying it!  It's like a fresh breath of Spring and Flowers.






7 comments:

  1. Yummy! I love that it is midnight and half the pie is gone.:D

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  2. A pie a month...fun.
    We are back to rain today, too.

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  3. I've never seen a pie like this before! Looks decadent and wonderful...my maple loving FIL would love this one.

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  4. I have never tied vanilla pie, but it looks delicious.

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  5. I could eat the other half...it looks so mouth watering and I could send you some tulips....it's raining here again.

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  6. Now that is the first I have ever heard of vanilla pie. I wish you could pass me a slice to sample!

    So glad you have your book 'in hand' and are enjoying it.

    ReplyDelete

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