PIE #29 - WHITE SATIN PIE

"Many a one, for the sake of finery on the back, have gone with a hungry belly and half-starved their families. Silks and satins, scarlet and velvets, put out the kitchen fire.... By these, and other extravagances, the genteel are reduced to poverty, and forced to borrow of those whom they formerly despised, but who, through industry and frugality, have maintained their standing; in which case it appears plainly, that a ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees."

This quote is taken from Poor Richard's Almanac, a best-selling publication by Ben Franklin in the mid 1700's, cherished for its proverbs on hard work and frugality. Coincidentally, my most recent pies, French silk and red velvet, have luxurious sounding names and call for rather expensive ingredients. I'm afraid Ben Franklin would raise an eyebrow over such a frivolous expenditure. My white satin pie, however, belies its extravagant title. Using just a few ingredients, all of which were sitting in my pantry, this pie whips up quickly and can be made a couple of weeks ahead of time and kept frozen.

Being the bargain lover that I am, I appreciate that this pie is easy on the pocketbook but big on the wow factor. Make sure to serve thin slices as the pie is dense and rich, almost like a white chocolate fudge. You can easily get 10-12 servings from this pie, up from the typical 8 servings from a standard pie dish. Mr. Franklin would certainly deem this a frugal choice. And he also once stated, "Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion."

Make my portion white satin pie!

Crust:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed vanilla cream filled cookies (such as Mother's English Tea Cookies)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2-3 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the cookie crumbs, melted butter and milk in a ziploc bag, mixing until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch pie pan, pressing into the bottom and up the side. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then place on the center rack of oven and bake for 6-8 minutes until slightly golden brown. Cool thoroughly.

Filling:
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
2 large egg yolks
11-12 ounce package white baking chips


Coarsely chopped white baking chips and whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Whisk together milk and egg yolks in saucepan over medium low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is hot and thickens slightly. Do not boil. Remove from heat. Stir in baking chips until completely melted and mixture is smooth. Pour into pie crust and freeze overnight. Garnish top of pie with chopped baking chips and whipped cream, if desired.