Subject: Black Bottom Pie
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Fri Apr 28 2000 - 07:28:28 EDT
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F O O D F U N N Y
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Here's a true food funny from reader E.Howes of Ottawa, Canada:
Friends of ours who live in Cuba have a tradition of making fruit
milkshakes for Sunday breakfast. Due to the heat, some fruits like
bananas get peeled and frozen to keep them longer. They also work
great in frothy milkshakes. Their 6-year-old son has become very
helpful in the kitchen and can't wait to be a part of this family
event.
One fine morning, dad got up with the kids and began preparation while
mom got to sleep in. All ingredients went into the blender and the
young man was sent to the freezer, returning with the frozen bananas.
The milk shakes are poured and everyone took the first sip.
Immediately there were sprays of milkshake everywhere. On further
detective work, it was discovered that a veal bratwurst sausage can
look amazingly like a peeled banana, especially when coated with a
slight layer of frost.
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T O D A Y ' S R E C I P E
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According to James Beard, this pie first appeared around the turn of
the century, but it didn't gain much attention until food writer
Duncan Hines mentioned it in the late 1930s. The pie was a favorite
of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of "The Yearling," and this is the
recipe she published in her book "Cross Creek Cookery" in 1942.
Black Bottom Pie
Note: This recipe calls for uncooked egg whites. If salmonella
contamination is a concern in your area, please do not use this
recipe, or substitute pasteurized, dried egg whites, available in the
baking section of many supermarkets.
For the crust:
14 crisp ginger cookies
5 Tbs (75 ml) melted butter
Roll out the cookies fine. Mix with the melted butter. Line a 9-inch
(23 cm) pie tin, sides and bottom, with the buttered crumbs, pressing
flat and firm. Bake 10 minutes in a preheated 350F (180C) oven to
set.
Basic Filling:
1+3/4 cups (450 ml) milk
1 Tbs (15 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
4 Tbs (60 ml) cold water
1 Tbs (15 ml) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
A pinch of salt
Chocolate Layer:
2 squares melted chocolate
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
Rum-Flavored Layer:
4 egg whites
1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) cream of tartar
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
1 Tbs (15 ml) rum or 1/2 tsp (2 ml) rum flavoring
Topping:
2 Tbs (30 ml) confectioner's (powdered) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
Grated bitter or semi-sweet chocolate for garnish
Soak the gelatin in the cold water. Scald the milk, add 1/2 cup (125
ml) sugar, mix with the cornstarch, pinch of salt, then beaten egg
yolks. Cook in double boiler, stirring constantly, until the custard
thickens and will coat the back of a spoon. Stir in dissolved
gelatin. Divide custard in half.
To one half of the custard add the melted chocolate and vanilla. Turn
while hot into cooled crust, dipping out carefully so as not to
disturb crust.
Let the remaining half of the custard cool. Beat the egg whites and
cream of tartar, adding 1/2 cup (125 ml) of sugar slowly. Add the rum
or rum flavoring. Spread carefully over the chocolate layer. Place
in ice box to chill thoroughly. It may even stand overnight. When
ready to serve, whip the cream stiff, adding the confectioner's sugar
slowly. Pour over the top of the pie. Sprinkle with grated bitter or
semi-sweet chocolate. Makes one 9-inch (23 cm) pie to serve 6 to 8.
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