Apple Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(Probably the most universally popular dessert in the book.)

Four cups sliced apples
One-half cup water
One cup sugar
One level tablespoon flour
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
One-fourth level teaspoon grated nutmeg
One-half level teaspoon powdered cinnamon
Two level tablespoons butter

Peel and core the apples and slice very thin. Add the water and cook slowly in a covered saucepan until the apples are a little tender. (This will take about seven minutes.) Add the sugar and cook for four minutes more or until the sugar is well dissolved and the filling a little thick. Add the flour, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and cook for another minute. Pour into a pie pan lined with an unbaked pie-shell. Roll out the upper crust and spread the butter on its under side. (The side that will fit next to the apple filling.) Fit the crust carefully on top of the pie. Moisten the

Crust for a Two-Crust Pie

Two cups flour
One-half level teaspoon salt
Two-thirds cup lard or a lard substitute
One-third cup cold water

Mix the flour and salt, and cut in the fat with a knife. When well mixed, add the water very slowly, mixing with the knife until a stiff dough is formed. The exact amount of water cannot be given, so care must be exercised in adding. Take two-thirds of the dough, cutting it off with a knife. Toss it upon a floured board and roll in a circular shape on one side of the dough only. When four inches larger than the diameter of the pan, fold over the dough and fit into a deep pie pan. Press the dough down into the sides of the pan, so that a good deep case for the pie filling will be made. The dough should extend over the edges of the pan. Do not cut it off until the upper crust is in place.

Take the rest of the dough and roll out to extend one inch beyond the crust. Make three or more slits in the center of the dough by folding in half and making the cuts in the center of the fold.

Pour the filling in the prepared lower crust, and carefully put the dough of the upper crust in place. Moisten the edge of the lower crust with cold water and pinch the two crusts firmly together. Cut off the superfluous dough with a sharp knife.

Place the prepared pie on the lower shelf of a moderate oven for ten minutes. Remove to the upper shelf of the oven, and bake in slow heat for twenty-five minutes more.

Dried Apricot Meringue Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(An old-fashioned favorite.)

One cup dried apricots
One and one-half cups cold water
One-half cup sugar
One tablespoon lemon juice
One-fourth cup flour
One-half cup apricot juice or water
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
Two egg yolks, well-beaten
One teaspoon vanilla

Wash the apricots well and soak over night in the cold water. In the morning cook slowly for twenty-five minutes in the water in which they were soaked. Mix the flour, one-half cup of apricot juice (or water, if there is not enough juice) and salt. Add the sugar to the cooked, drained, apricots and cook slowly for about three minutes or until the mixture is slightly thick. Add the flour mixture and lemon juice and cook slowly for about two minutes more. Stir constantly. Add the egg yolks well beaten and cook for two minutes more. Add the vanilla. Pour into a baked pie-shell and cover with a meringue. Bake in a moderate oven for about ten minutes or until the meringue is a delicate brown color.

The Pie-Shell (For one medium-sized one-crust pie)

One cup flour
One-fourth level teaspoon salt
One-third cup lard or a lard substitute
Cold water (About four tablespoons)

Mix and sift the flour and salt. Cut in the fat with a knife and slowly add enough cold water to make a stiff dough. Toss on a floured board and roll out to fit a medium-sized pie tin. Crinkle the edges with the fingers and pierce holes with a fork in the sides and bottoms of the crust. Bake in a quick oven until a delicate brown color.

Meringue

Two egg whites
Three tablespoons sugar

Beat the egg whites very stiff, add the sugar and beat for a minute more. Pile lightly on the filling.

Banana Cream Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(Bob says it “melts in his mouth.”)

Two cups sliced bananas
Two tablespoons lemon juice
One-half cup sugar
One cup whipped cream
Two level tablespoons sugar
Two level tablespoons shredded cocoanut
One teaspoon vanilla

Mix the bananas, lemon juice and one-half cup sugar. Place in a baked pie-shell. (See Dried Apricot Meringue Pie.) Mix the whipped cream, two tablespoons sugar, cocoanut and vanilla, and pile lightly on top of the banana filling. Cut in pie-shaped pieces, and serve at once.

Blueberry Pie

(One of the joys of the blueberry season.)

Three cups blueberries
One-half level teaspoon ground cinnamon
One cup sugar
Two level tablespoons flour
One tablespoon lemon juice
One-fourth level teaspoon salt

Mix the cinnamon, sugar and flour. Add all the rest of the ingredients and pour into a pie pan lined with an unbaked crust. Place the upper crust on top of the berry mixture and bake. (For the pie-crust recipe, see Apple Pie.)

Illiopolis Butterscotch Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(A really delicious winter dessert; it should be served when fruits are scarce.)

One and one-half cups brown sugar
Three level tablespoons butter
One cup milk
Three egg yolks
One cup water
Four level tablespoons flour
One-fourth level teaspoon salt

Place the sugar and butter together in a pan and stir over the fire until the mixture gets “waxy.” (About three minutes.) Add the milk and cook in a double boiler until the sugar is all dissolved. (This requires about ten minutes). Beat the egg yolks; add two tablespoons of the water and the flour and mix well. Add the rest of the water and the salt. Add to the sugar mixture and stir well. Cook until the filling becomes very thick. (This will take about ten minutes.)

Pour into a baked pie-shell, and cover with meringue. (See Apricot Meringue Pie for crust and meringue recipes.) Bake in a slow oven for ten minutes to brown the meringue.

Caramel Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(Another winter pie.)

One cup sugar
Four tablespoons water
Five level tablespoons flour
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
Two cups milk
Two egg yolks
One teaspoon vanilla

Place one-third of the sugar in a frying pan. Heat slowly, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until a light-colored liquid is formed. Allow to become a light brown color; this is called caramel. Add the water and boil for three minutes, or until a thick syrup is formed.

Mix the rest of the sugar, the flour, and the salt in the upper part of the double boiler. Slowly add the milk and the caramel syrup, mixing well. Cook over hot water until thick and creamy. (About fifteen minutes.) Add the egg yolks and cook for one minute. Remove from the fire and add the vanilla. Pour into a baked pie shell. Cover with Meringue and bake. (For the crust and meringue recipes, see Apricot Meringue Pie.)

Cherry Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(Second only to apple-pie in popularity, and oh, so welcome in cherry season!)

Four cups of well-washed cherries, pitted and stemmed
One-half cup water
One and one-half cups sugar
Four level tablespoons flour
One-eighth level teaspoon salt

Cook the cherries and water together for five minutes. Mix the sugar, flour and salt and add to the cherry mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for five minutes. Cool, and pour into a pie pan lined with an unbaked crust. Add the upper crust and bake. (For the double crust recipe, see Apple Pie.)

Chocolate Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(A winter-time favorite.)

One-half cup sugar
One-third cup flour
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
Two cups milk
One square melted chocolate (melted over hot water) or two level tablespoons cocoa
Two egg yolks, well-beaten
One teaspoon vanilla

Mix the sugar, flour and salt in the upper part of the double boiler. Add the milk and cook slowly over hot water until the mixture is thick and creamy. Add the chocolate (or cocoa) and egg yolks. Cook, (stirring constantly) until well-mixed. (About two minutes.) Add the vanilla, mix well, and pour into a baked pie-shell. Use the egg whites for making a meringue for the top. (For the crust and meringue recipes, see Dried Apricot Meringue Pie.)

Chocolate Pie Pudding (Six portions)

(Most people like this.)

One medium-sized baked pie-shell. (See Apricot Meringue Pie)
Three-fourths cup sugar
One-third cup flour
One-fourth level teaspoon salt
Two squares chocolate, melted
Two cups milk
Two egg yolks, well-beaten
Two egg whites, stiffly-beaten
One teaspoon vanilla
One cup whipped cream

Mix the sugar, flour and salt in the upper part of the double boiler. Add the milk and chocolate, and cook until thick and creamy. Add the egg yolks and cook for two minutes. Add the egg whites, stiffly-beaten, and the vanilla. Pour into the baked shell. When cool, spread the whipped cream over the top. Serve.

Cocoanut Cream Pie

(Another of those “melting” desserts.)

Three-fourths cup sugar
Four level tablespoons flour
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
Two cups milk
Two egg yolks, well-beaten
One-third cup shredded cocoanut
One teaspoon lemon extract

Mix the sugar, flour and salt in the upper part of the double boiler. Add the milk and cook over boiling water until the filling is thick and creamy. Add the egg yolks and cocoanut and cook for one minute more. Remove from the fire and add the lemon extract. Pour into a baked pie-shell and cover with Cocoanut Meringue. (For the pie-shell, see Dried Apricot Meringue Pie.)

Cocoanut Meringue

Two egg whites
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
Three level tablespoons sugar
One-fourth cup shredded cocoanut

Beat the egg whites and salt until very stiff. Add the sugar and beat for one minute more. Pile lightly on top of the filled pie. Sprinkle the cocoanut over the top. Bake in a moderate oven for seven minutes, or until the meringue is a delicate brown color.

Cranberry Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(Many people make it with two crusts, but to Sue and Robin its “criss-cross” face is one of its charms.)

Four cups cranberries
Two cups water
One and one-half cups sugar
Two level tablespoons flour
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
Two level tablespoons butter

Pick over and wash the cranberries. Add the water and cook until the berries are soft. (About ten minutes.) Mix the sugar, flour, and salt, and add to the cooked cranberries. Cook (stirring frequently) until the mixture becomes quite thick. Pour into an unbaked pie-shell. Place the butter in small pieces on top of the cranberry mixture. Make one-inch strips of dough and arrange in criss-cross fashion over the top of the cranberries. Bake on the lower shelf of a moderately hot oven for ten minutes. Remove to the upper shelf of the oven and bake in moderate heat for fifteen minutes more.

Crust for Cranberry Pie

One-half cup lard or lard substitute
One and one-half cups flour
One-half level teaspoon salt
About four tablespoons cold water. (The exact amount cannot be given)

Mix the flour and salt and cut in the fat with a knife. When well mixed, add the cold water slowly until a stiff dough is formed. Toss two-thirds of the dough upon a floured board. Roll very thin to fit a pie pan. Fit the dough carefully into the pan and add the cranberry mixture.

Roll out the rest of the dough and cut into one-half-inch strips to stretch across the top of the cranberries in criss-cross fashion. Moisten the edges of the crust with cold water before arranging the strips in place.

Cream Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(A good winter dessert.)

One cup sugar
One-fourth cup flour
One-fourth level teaspoon salt
Two cups milk
Two egg yolks, well-beaten
One teaspoon vanilla
One-half teaspoon lemon extract
One teaspoon butter

Mix the sugar, flour and salt in the upper part of the double boiler. Slowly add the milk, mixing well. Cook slowly (stirring constantly) until thick and creamy. Add the egg yolks, and cook for one minute more. Remove from the fire and add the rest of the ingredients.

Pour into a baked pie-shell. (See Dried Apricot Meringue Pie for crust and meringue.) Cover with meringue and bake in a moderate oven for seven to ten minutes, or until the meringue is a delicate brown color.

Custard Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(A winter “stand-by” in nearly all homes.)

Three eggs
Five level tablespoons sugar
One-fourth level teaspoon salt
One teaspoon vanilla
Two cups milk
One-eighth level teaspoon grated nutmeg
One-eighth level teaspoon ground cinnamon

Beat the eggs and add the sugar, salt, vanilla and milk. Beat for one minute, and pour into an unbaked pie-shell. (For the crust, see Dried Apricot Meringue Pie.) Sprinkle the nutmeg and cinnamon (mixed together) over the top. Bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes and continue baking in a slower oven for twenty-five more minutes.

The custard should shake a little in the center when it is taken from the oven, as it will stiffen when cold.

Date Custard Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(People who are fond of dates always like this dessert.)

One and one-half cups seeded dates
One cup water
Two level tablespoons sugar
Two eggs, well-beaten
One-half level teaspoon ground cinnamon
One-fourth level teaspoon ground cloves
One and one-half cups milk
One teaspoon vanilla

Wash and seed the dates, and cut in small pieces. Add the water and sugar and cook slowly for about fifteen minutes, or until the dates are soft. Add all the rest of the ingredients, and pour into an unbaked pie-shell. Bake on the lower shelf of a moderate oven for thirty minutes. (For the pie-shell recipe, see Index for Dried Apricot Meringue Pie.)

Lola’s Date Pie (Four portions)

(A rich but delicious company dessert.)

One pie-shell, baked
One and one-half cups dates, seeded and chopped
One-half cup water
One-fourth cup sugar
One-half cup nut-meats
One cup whipped cream

Mix the dates, water and sugar. Cook slowly until a soft creamy mixture is formed. Cool. Pour into the baked pie-shell. Pile the whipped cream on top. Serve in wedge-shaped pieces. (For the pie-shell recipe, see Dried Apricot Meringue Pie.)

Lemon Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(“You’ll always know a good cook,” says Aunt Lucy, “by her lemon pie. And Bettina’s is—well, you just watch Bob when she brings it in!”)

Lemon Filling for Lemon Pie

Three egg yolks
One cup sugar
One-third cup flour
One-sixth level teaspoon salt
One and one-half cups water
Four tablespoons lemon juice
One level teaspoon grated lemon rind
One level teaspoon butter

Place the egg yolks in the upper part of a double boiler and beat until light. Add the sugar and continue beating for a minute. Add the flour and salt and slowly add the water, lemon juice and rind. Mix thoroughly. Cook over hot water until the mixture is very thick and creamy. (This requires about fifteen minutes.) Add the butter, mix, and pour into a baked pie-shell. Cover with meringue. (For the pie-shell recipe, see Dried Apricot Meringue Pie.)

Meringue

Three egg whites
Five level tablespoons sugar

Beat the egg whites very light. Add the sugar and continue beating for two minutes. Pile lightly on top of the filling. Bake in a moderate oven for about ten minutes or until the meringue is a light brown color.

Maple Cream Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(Try this in winter. You’ll like it.)

One-third cup sugar
One-third cup flour
One-fourth level teaspoon salt
One cup maple syrup
One cup milk
Two egg yolks, well-beaten
One teaspoon vanilla

Mix the sugar, flour and salt. Add the maple syrup and milk. Cook in a double boiler until the filling is thick. (About fifteen minutes.) Add the egg yolks, and cook for one minute more. Add the vanilla and pour into a baked pie-shell. Cover with meringue and brown in a moderate oven.

(For the pie-crust and meringue recipes, see Dried Apricot Meringue Pie. Make the meringue with the two egg whites that are left.)

Mince Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(Bettina makes her own mincemeat, and her mince pies are the best of their kind.)

Three cups mincemeat
One-third cup fruit juice

Mix the mincemeat and fruit juice and pour into a pie pan lined with an unbaked crust. Add the upper crust and bake. (To make the pie-crust, see the recipe for Apple Pie.)

Mincemeat (Eight quarts or filling for twelve pies.)

Two pounds uncooked beef, chopped fine
One pound suet, chopped fine
Three pounds raisins, well washed
Three pounds currants, well washed
Five cups brown sugar
One cup molasses
Three quarts chopped apples. (Twelve cups)
Four cups fruit juice, any kind
Two level tablespoons salt
Three level tablespoons ground cinnamon
Two level teaspoons mace
Two level teaspoons ground clove
One level teaspoon grated nutmeg
Two lemons, grated rind and juice
One-fourth pound chopped citron
Four cups meat stock

Wash the meat and cook in boiling water to cover, until tender. (Round, flank or shoulder of beef may be used.) Remove all the gristle and chop the rest of the meat. Reserve the meat stock, measure out four cups of the stock, and add all the rest of the ingredients. Cook slowly for one hour. Pour into glass jars, sterilized and boiling hot. Seal at once.

Spiced peach juices, cider, jellies or fruit juices may be added when the mincemeat is used in pies.

Orange Meringue Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(An unusual but pleasing dessert.)

The Filling

One cup sugar
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
One-third cup flour
One cup orange juice
One-fourth cup lemon juice
One level teaspoon grated orange rind
Two egg yolks, well-beaten
One level teaspoon butter

Mix the sugar, salt and flour. Add the juices and orange rind and cook in a double boiler until thick and creamy. (About fifteen minutes.) Add the egg yolks and butter and cook for one minute more. Beat for one minute and pour into a baked pie-shell and cover with Orange Meringue. (For the pie-shell recipe, see Dried Apricot Meringue Pie.)

Orange Meringue

Two egg whites. (Left from making the Filling)
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
Four level tablespoons sugar
One level teaspoon grated orange rind

Beat the egg whites and salt very stiff. Add the sugar and beat for one minute. Pile lightly on top of the orange-filled pie. Sprinkle the orange rind over the top and bake in a moderate oven for eight minutes, or until the meringue is a delicate brown color.

Peach Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(One of the most popular pies Bettina makes.)

Three cups peeled sliced peaches
One cup sugar
One-fourth level teaspoon salt
One-fourth level teaspoon ground cinnamon
One level tablespoon flour
Two tablespoons water
One level tablespoon butter

Mix the peaches, sugar, salt, cinnamon and flour. Pour into a pie pan lined with an unbaked crust. Add the water and dot the peach filling with small pieces of butter. Add the upper crust and bake. (For the pie-crust, see Index for Apple Pie.)

Pineapple Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(Unusual, but well-liked by people who are fond of the pineapple flavor.)

One and one-half cups grated pineapple
One-fourth cup pineapple juice or water
Three-fourths cup sugar
One-fourth cup flour
One-fourth level teaspoon salt
One tablespoon lemon juice
One egg, well-beaten
One level teaspoon butter

Mix the pineapple and juice (or water). Mix the sugar, flour and salt, and add them to the pineapple mixture. Cook slowly for five minutes, or until the filling is thick and creamy. Add the lemon juice, egg and butter and beat vigorously for one minute. Pour into a medium-sized pie tin lined with an unbaked piecrust. (See Apple Pie for the crust recipe.) Place the upper crust on top of the filling and bake in a moderately hot oven for twenty-five minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Prune Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(A winter favorite.)

One-half pound prunes
One and one-half cups cold water
Three-fourths cup sugar
Two level tablespoons flour
One-eighth level teaspoon salt
Two tablespoons lemon juice
One-half level teaspoon ground cinnamon
Two level tablespoons butter

Wash the prunes thoroughly, cover with the water and soak over night. In the morning, cook the prunes very slowly in the same water until tender. (About twenty-five minutes.) Allow the prunes to cool and then remove the stones. Mix the sugar, flour and salt, and add to the prunes and prune juice. Cook slowly for about four minutes, or until the mixture is a little thick. Remove from the fire and add the lemon juice, cinnamon and butter. Pour into a pie pan lined with an unbaked crust and place another crust on top. (See Apple Pie for crust recipe.) Bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. (It is best to place such a pie as this on the lower shelf of a moderately hot oven for ten minutes. Then reduce the heat, and bake on the upper shelf for twenty minutes more.) Serve hot or cold.

Prune Pie may be made with one crust and a meringue on top. In that case, pour the filling into a baked pie-crust, and cover with a meringue. Bake in a slow oven for ten minutes, or until the meringue is a delicate golden brown color. (For the crust and meringue, see recipe for Dried Apricot Meringue Pie.)

Pumpkin Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(Nothing ever quite equals it as a November and December dessert.)

One and one-half cups steamed, mashed pumpkin. (Canned pumpkin may be used)
Two eggs
One cup brown sugar
One level teaspoon ground cinnamon
One-fourth level teaspoon ground cloves
One-fourth level teaspoon grated nutmeg
One-fourth level teaspoon ground ginger
One-fourth level teaspoon allspice
One-half level teaspoon salt
One and one-half cups milk

Beat the eggs and add all the rest of the ingredients. Beat for two minutes and pour into an unbaked pie-shell. (See Dried Apricot Meringue Pie for crust recipe.) Bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes, then bake in a slower oven for twenty minutes more. Let stand until firm, and serve.

Raisin Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(“Old-fashioned, perhaps, but all the better for that,” says Uncle John.)

One and one-half cups raisins
One and one-fourth cups water
One level teaspoon salt
One-half cup sugar
One level tablespoon cornstarch
Three tablespoons water
One teaspoon lemon extract

Wash the raisins well, add the water, salt and sugar and cook slowly for fifteen minutes. Mix the cornstarch and three tablespoons water, and add to the raisin mixture. Cook (stirring constantly) for two minutes. Add the lemon extract and when well mixed, pour into a pie pan lined with an unbaked crust. Add the upper crust and bake at once. Serve warm or cold. (For the double crust recipe, see Apple Pie.)

Red Raspberry Pie (One medium-sized pie made with canned raspberries.)

(“It drips with goodness,” says little Robin.)

Filling for Red Raspberry Pie

Three cups canned red raspberries, drained
Three tablespoons raspberry juice
One and one-fourth cups sugar
Two level tablespoons flour
One-fourth level teaspoon salt

Mix the sugar, flour and salt, combine with the rest of the ingredients and pour into an unbaked shell. Place an upper crust on top of the berries and bake.

(For the two-crust pie-shell recipe, see Apple Pie.)

Rhubarb Pie (One medium-sized pie)

(One of the joys of early spring.)

Four cups peeled diced rhubarb
One-half cup water
One cup sugar
Two level tablespoons flour
One-third level teaspoon salt
Two level tablespoons butter

Wash and peel the rhubarb and cut into one-inch pieces. Add the water and cook for five minutes. Mix the sugar, flour and salt, and add to the rhubarb. Cook for five minutes, or until the mixture is thick. Stir constantly. Pour into a pie pan lined with an unbaked pie-shell. Dot the top with the butter. Add the upper crust, and bake for thirty minutes in a moderate oven.

(To make the double pie-crust, see the recipe for Apple Pie.)