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jazzfishI have semi-successfully made a cinnamon creme pie. I don't know how long it will be until I make another attempt (though I have a decent hope that the next one will Turn Out Right), so I reproduce the original recipe below. Once I get it Right I'll provide my version.
Cinnamon Creme Pie
from Lorene Taylor (I am told she got it from a diner somewhere in Arkansas)
CRUST:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
4-5 Tbsp cold water
Bake at 450 10-12 minutes
CUSTARD:
1/4 cup corn starch
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
CINNAMON SUGAR MIX:
6 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
MERINGUE:
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Beat stiff, add 8-10 Tbsp sugar
0) Blind-bake a pie crust.
1) In a saucepan, mix corn starch, sugar, salt.
2) Make a well in the centre, and gradually stir in beaten egg yolks (avoid making lumps).
3) Carefully stir in milk.
4) Cook while stirring, until thick.
5) Add butter & vanilla.
6) Let cool.
7) Layer custard & cinnamon sugar into pie shell.
8) Top w/ meringue.
9) Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.
I say "semi-successfully" because 1) I thought "meringue's not browning on top, i'll turn off the oven and leave it in there" and then forgot to turn off the oven, so the meringue is crunchy (though this did not harm the pie itself which is good), and 2) I used the cinnamon sugar I had on hand which wasn't enough cinnamon, rather than making up the proper mix.
I used a premade pie crust because I lack a) shortening and b) the patience to make a proper pie crust. One of these days.
I also didn't put cream of tartar in the meringue but I don't think that caused any problems; just ran it longer in the mixer. It doesn't turn out with the wave-peaks I expect, though. I suspect that's a technique thing that I just have no idea how to do. (The ones Emily made didn't have those either.)
For the pudding, per Erin's strong suggestion I mixed the dry ingredients, then the milk, then the egg yolks, and then cooked it on low (3-4) while whisking for quite awhile. This worked quite well once I/we switched to a whisk from a spatula. I then refrigerated it overnight, because if you don't get it actually chilled then you have cinnamon creme soup, which is still tasty but not what I wanted.
I also didn't get proper layers of custard separated by thin cinnamon-sugar strata. Some of this is, again, a lack of sufficient cinnamon. More of it's my own inability to spread the custard properly thin and even. Erin suggests putting it in the pie crust and then chilling it, which I'll try next time.
Overall, yay. I've missed cinnamon creme pie the last few years.
Cinnamon Creme Pie
from Lorene Taylor (I am told she got it from a diner somewhere in Arkansas)
CRUST:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
4-5 Tbsp cold water
Bake at 450 10-12 minutes
CUSTARD:
1/4 cup corn starch
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
CINNAMON SUGAR MIX:
6 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
MERINGUE:
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Beat stiff, add 8-10 Tbsp sugar
0) Blind-bake a pie crust.
1) In a saucepan, mix corn starch, sugar, salt.
2) Make a well in the centre, and gradually stir in beaten egg yolks (avoid making lumps).
3) Carefully stir in milk.
4) Cook while stirring, until thick.
5) Add butter & vanilla.
6) Let cool.
7) Layer custard & cinnamon sugar into pie shell.
8) Top w/ meringue.
9) Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.
I say "semi-successfully" because 1) I thought "meringue's not browning on top, i'll turn off the oven and leave it in there" and then forgot to turn off the oven, so the meringue is crunchy (though this did not harm the pie itself which is good), and 2) I used the cinnamon sugar I had on hand which wasn't enough cinnamon, rather than making up the proper mix.
I used a premade pie crust because I lack a) shortening and b) the patience to make a proper pie crust. One of these days.
I also didn't put cream of tartar in the meringue but I don't think that caused any problems; just ran it longer in the mixer. It doesn't turn out with the wave-peaks I expect, though. I suspect that's a technique thing that I just have no idea how to do. (The ones Emily made didn't have those either.)
For the pudding, per Erin's strong suggestion I mixed the dry ingredients, then the milk, then the egg yolks, and then cooked it on low (3-4) while whisking for quite awhile. This worked quite well once I/we switched to a whisk from a spatula. I then refrigerated it overnight, because if you don't get it actually chilled then you have cinnamon creme soup, which is still tasty but not what I wanted.
I also didn't get proper layers of custard separated by thin cinnamon-sugar strata. Some of this is, again, a lack of sufficient cinnamon. More of it's my own inability to spread the custard properly thin and even. Erin suggests putting it in the pie crust and then chilling it, which I'll try next time.
Overall, yay. I've missed cinnamon creme pie the last few years.