Butterscotch Pie

This was one of those “everyday” desserts I remember from the years before Mom went to work at Lignell’s. Reading through this complicated recipe now, it’s no wonder she hardly ever made it after 1960! Today, it’s worth making for a special occasion, though; it’s really good.

Make a graham cracker crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/4 cup powdered sugar

6 T. melted butter

Mix together and pat into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes, until edges are browned.

Pie filling:

2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)

5 T. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/4 cups milk

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 T. butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

4 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

Combine brown sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add milk, mixing till blended. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat and cook until thick and smooth, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir several spoonsful of mixture into beaten egg yolks; mix well. Pour this mixture back into the brown sugar mixture. Put onto medium burner and cook, stirring constantly, until thick, about 5 minutes. Pour filling into baked pie crust.

Beat egg whites until foamy and gradually pour in sugar beating until blended. Continue beating until mixture stands up in stiff peaks. Spoon meringue onto pie filling, spreading to the edge of the pie crust. Make several peaks of meringue. Bake at 425 for 5-8 minutes until meringue is delicately brown.