American cream pie
Instructions:
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The original Early American cream pie was really a simple buttercake with a cream or cooked-custard filling. In the late 1800s, cream pie with a baked pastry crust began to be popular. Bananas were imported from the West Indies and were incorporated into the cream pie. Coconut and chocolate are two further variations on the theme. Graham-cracker-crumb crust, because it is so easy to prepare, has become a popular base for cream pies.
- 3 cups light cream or milk;
- 2⁄3 cup sugar;
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt;
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch;
- 3 egg yolks;
- 1 tablespoon butter;
- 11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla;
- 1 baked 9-inch pie shell or graham-cracker-crumb pie crust;
- Whipped Cream Topping.
- In a saucepan, heat to a simmer 2 cups of the cream or milk over medium to low heat. In a bowl, combine the sugar, salt, cornstarch, and remaining 1 cup cream or milk. Stir mixture into the hot cream and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk a small portion of the cooked mixture into the yolks. Add the egg yolk mixture to the rest of the cooked mixture in the pan and cook 1 minute longer, or until thickened. Add the butter and vanilla. Cool, covered. Pour filling into the pie shell. Chill. Top with Whipped Cream Topping.
- BANANA CREAM PIE: Slice 4 firm but ripe bananas. Layer the bananas with the chilled cream filling. Top with Whipped Cream Topping.
- COCONUT CREAM PIE: Fold 3⁄4 cup flaked coconut into the cooled cream filling. Top with Whipped Cream Topping.