Jim's Depository

These are the three recipes I copied out from my mother’s box which were copied from her mother’s box. But first, let me add some things that may be obvious to cooks, but I learned from making a bunch of these pies.

• Butterscotch doesn’t get appreciably thicker after it leaves the double boiler. Keep at it.
• An extra egg white or two is a good idea for the meringue so you are sure you have enough.
• I use whole milk, because I think that may have been what “milk” meant when this was first written down.
• It is possible to whip the meringues while stirring the double boiler, but it gets a bit tricky with a hand mixer.
• Get a head start on the double boiling before starting the meringue whipping. The butterscotch will keep warm if it gets done first.
• As near as I can tell, the pie crust recipe is a cruel hoax. The Pillsbury pie crust box mix from the store works much better and you won’t spend 5 minutes scraping failed pie crust from your hands.
• When you precook the pie crusts, make sure they overlap the edge of the pan. You are going to need that flange to overlap the meringue to get a good seal or the meringue will pull away as it cooks leaving you with a meringue island on your pie. I even run the meringue a little bit past the crust so it catches.
• As you near the end of baking, flip on the broiler and then watch it like a hawk. Do not avert your gaze from the meringue. Pull the pie out when the meringue just begins to brown.

Butterscotch Pie

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
2 egg yolks (well beaten)
1 tsp vanillaMix flour and sugar. Add yolks, butter, and milk.
Cook in a double boiler until thick.
Add vanilla.
Put in a baked pie shell.
Cover with meringue.
Bake at 225°F (about 15-20 minutes)

Pie Meringue

Beat egg white until stiff. Allow 2 tbsp of sugar for each egg.
Add sugar slowly, beating constantly.
Flavor, allowing 1/4 tsp of vanilla for 2 egg whites.

Two Crust Pie, 9 inch

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup of shortening
1/2 cup ice waterAdd ice water little by little while tossing mixture.
When it sticks together that is enough water.
Bake at 500°F for 12 minutes.