Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Faezer's Peanut Butter Pie

If you're looking for a yummy new recipe that will likely become a family favorite, you've got to try this. It ain't easy, but it's WORTH IT!!!

First, here is the history of this tasty treat. I’m relying on memory here, so I hope I get it right. My mom, Faezer, first made this in college for her boyfriend. (Not my dad.) She got the recipe from hismom because it was his favorite dessert. I think she said his family was from “the south”. (So maybe that's where it originated.) We’ve had it every year for Thanksgiving my whole life and it’s DEFINITELY a family favorite. YUM!!!!!
World Famous Peanut Butter PieFirst you need: one deep dish pie crust or two shallow (ya know the Marie Callendar tin size) pie crusts already  already baked.

Step 1: Custard Filling
4 cups scalded milk
1 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. butter or marg.

6 Tbsp. flour
Pinch of salt
6 egg yolks (save the whites)

Scald 2 cups of milk in a heavy pan. (It’s scalded when foamy bubbles start to form around the sides and it starts smelling “cooked”. Use Med/MedHigh heat and stir constantly.) Add sugar and cold butter then set aside to COOL. (So that flour and eggs won’t go lumpy.)
When the milk mixture is room temp./cool add flour, salt and egg yolks. (Don’t try to save time by pre-mixing the flour and yolks. It will only lead to pain and suffering.)

When flour and yolks are incorporated, put back on the stove and bring custard to a gentle boil while stirring (it should be thickening) and remove from heat.

Step 2: Peanut Butter Topping
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (Fae says crunchy is best)

Mix until it is as fine as meal. If you are making two: Put 2/3 of mixture in the bottom of crust. The other 1/3 is for sprinkling on top of the meringue. If you only make one, you wont need to use it all. But don’t worry, your kids will eat the left overs.

Step 3: Meringue
6 room temp. egg whites (Remember I told ya to keep ‘em.)
6 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Put room temp. egg whites in clean glass bowl or measuring cup. Mix well on high, gradually adding 3 Tbsp. powdered sugar. When it comes to stiff peaks, pile on top of hot or warn custard filing, (this helps cook the bottom of the meringue) spreading meringue to edges of pie crust to prevent shrinking. (Fae always does it perfect so there are pretty little peaks all over the whole top.) Sprinkle remaining P.B. topping over meringue and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until little peaks are golden brown. The meringue needs to cook or it will weep. Refrigerate until it’s dessert time. ENJOY

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