Vanilla Cream Pie

I love pie. I've made one truly wonderful pie in my lifetime before this one. My husband and I made a pecan pie from scratch together for Thanksgiving last year. We even shelled the pecans for it and baked it in a heart-shaped pie plate.

This recipe is delicious and I must give credit where credit is due. This is not my own recipe and I'm not even sure whose it is. However, my co-worker, Stella O'Brien gave it to me. Make, bake, and enjoy!

Yum yum yum!
By the way, isn't this pie plate just darling?

Never Fail Pie Crust

3 cups flour 

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

1.5 cups shortening

1 egg

1 tsp vinegar

5 tbsp water

Sift flour, salt, and sugar into the bowl of your mixer. Add shortening to the bowl and mix on low/medium speed.

In a separate bowl, beat an egg and add vinegar and water to it. Add the liquid mixture to the mixing bowl a little at a time while you continue to mix on low/medium speed.

It is done when dough clings to the beater. This will make three pie shells (9") or one shell and one double pie crust.

Separate the dough into three balls and refrigerate/freeze what you don't need. Roll out the crust and place in your pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees (lightly browned).

Vanilla Cream Pie Filling

3/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

In saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add milk and mix well. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Cook 2 more minutes, then remove from heat.

Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the three slightly beaten egg yolks. Immediately put the egg mixture into the saucepan and cook all together for two minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.

Pour the whole thing into a cooled, baked pie shell.

Meringue

3 egg whites

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

6 tbsp sugar

Beat the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.

Gradually add sugar while beating until stiff peaks form and all sugar is dissolved.

Spread on top of pie filling and over the crust. Trust me on this one. I did not (as you can see in the picture) and my meringue shrunk after a couple hours of cooling!

Bake this beauty in a 350 degree oven until meringue is golden (about 15 minutes). Cool before serving.