PieCast: Lost Pies of America

Jack Bishop is the Editorial Director for America’s Test Kitchen on PBS.

Shaker Lemon Pie

You will need 6 tablespoons of lemon juice for this recipe. Have an extra lemon on hand in case the 3 sliced lemons do not yield enough juice. Visit

CooksCountry.com for our double-crust pie dough recipe or use one 15-ounce box of Pillsbury Ready to Roll Pie Crust. 1 double-crust pie dough (see note)3 large lemons, sliced thin and seeded (see note)

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

4 large eggs

1 Tablespoon heavy cream 1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line 9-inch pie plate with 1 dough round and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Squeeze lemon slices in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl; reserve juice (you should have 6 tablespoons). Bring drained slices and 2 cups water to boil in saucepan, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slices are softened, about 5 minutes. Drain well and discard liquid. Combine softened lemon slices, sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup reserved lemon juice in bowl; stir until sugar dissolves.

3. Whisk cornstarch and remaining lemon juice in large bowl. Whisk eggs into cornstarch mixture, then slowly stir in lemon slice mixture until combined. Pour into chilled pie shell. Brush edges of dough with 1 teaspoon cream and top with remaining dough round. Seal, crimp edges, and brush top of dough with remaining cream. Using paring knife, cut 4 vents in top of dough.

4. Bake until light golden, about 20 minutes, then decrease oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue to bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 1 hour. Serve. (Pie can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for 2 days.)

Grasshopper Pie

Crust

16 Mint’n Creme Oreo Cookies (with filling), broken into rough pieces 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling

3 large egg yolks

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream

Pinch salt

1/4 cup green crème de menthe

1/4 cup white crème de cacao

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grind cookies in food processor to fine crumbs. Transfer to bowl, drizzle with butter, and toss well. Press crumbs evenly into bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate and refrigerate crust until firm, about 20 minutes. Bake until set, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

2. For the filling: Beat egg yolks in medium bowl. Combine gelatin, sugar, 1⁄2 cup cream, and salt in medium saucepan and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Cook over medium heat until gelatin dissolves and mixture is very hot but not boiling, about 2 minutes. Whisking vigorously, slowly add gelatin mixture to egg yolks. Return mixture to saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add crème de menthe and crème de cacao. Pour into clean bowl and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until wobbly but not set, about 20 minutes.

3. Beat remaining 11⁄2 cups cream with electric mixer to stiff peaks. Whisk 1 cup whipped cream into gelatin mixture until completely incorporated. Using rubber spatula, fold gelatin mixture into remaining whipped cream until no streaks of white remain. Scrape mixture into cooled pie shell, smooth top, and refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. (The pie will keep tightly wrapped in refrigerator for up to 2 days.) Serve, topped with chocolate curls, if desired.