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Angel Food Pie

Source of Recipe

From "Art of the Pie" by Kate McDermott


Recipe Introduction

"Sue attended one of my pie workshops and we have stayed in touch ever since, sharing pie tips and photos of the old roses we both grow in our cottage gardens. Her stepmom, Alberta, a Southern beauty and brilliant cook who played sax and clarinet in a vaudeville band before going on to Hollywood and working on the Shirley Temple films, made this sweet pie for Sue when she was young. Tint the topping with one to two drops of red food coloring until it turns light pink and it's perfect to serve at a little girls' tea party."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ¼ cups hot water
â—¦ 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
â—¦ 1 scant cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons for whipping cream
â—¦ 4 egg whites
â—¦ A pinch of salt
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
â—¦ 1 blind-baked pie crust
â—¦ 1 pint whipping cream
â—¦ 1 to 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
â—¦ Shredded, sweetened coconut for sprinkling


Recipe

Set the water to boil. In the top of a double boiler, mix the cornstarch and sugar with a fork, then moisten with ¼ cup cold water and stir to make a paste.

Add the boiling water and mix with a wire whisk until the mixture is smooth. If you don't have a whisk, a fork or a spoon will do. Cook 15 minutes, stirring very often, then remove from the heat.

Beat the egg whites until they are very stiff and then add spoonfuls of the cornstarch-sugar mixture to the egg whites, beating after each addition. Add one pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla (save the rest for the whipping cream) and mix briefly. Set this aside to cool.

In a pre-baked pie shell, use a spatula to pour in the egg white-sugar mixture.

Beat the whipping cream until it is thick. Add the remaining sugar and vanilla and beat briefly to incorporate them. Add the optional food coloring and beat for a few seconds more. Spread the whipping cream thickly over the egg white-sugar mixture. Sprinkle the coconut over the top.


Makes one 9-inch deep dish pie