PIE #2 - MISS MIRANDA'S VANILLA CREAM

I would be remiss if I didn't include in my pie blog Miss Miranda's original recipe from home economics class circa 1974. So to pay homage to her and to redeem my pathetic pie-making self, I have attempted to bake that very same pie using the very same recipe that, believe it or not, I still have filed away in my recipe archives. The mimeographed copy is faded and there are stain splotches on the 8 1/2 x 11 paper (I imagine these stains are from the burnt custard fiasco). And for those of you under the age of forty, you probably don't even know what a mimeograph is. 

So here in all its glory is Miss Miranda's original recipe for vanilla cream pie. Check out how the graham crackers are to be crushed in wax paper. This recipe was written B.Z. - before Ziploc! And notice how butter is referred to as table fat. Can you imagine going to the movie theatre and requesting table fat on your popcorn?

Rest assured that if you try this recipe, you cannot possibly botch it like I did during the Grand Pie Debacle of 1974. I can almost hear Miss M raising her voice above the loud din of chirping junior high girls, "Don't leave out any ingredients-es!"

Graham Crust:
12-14 graham crackers (to yield 1 1/2 cups of crumbs)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter

1. Place crackers on waxed paper. Crush to fine crumbs with rolling pin.
2. Soften table fat, add sugar to crumbs. Mix well.
3. Press mixture firmly into greased 9" pie pan with back of spoon. Bake at 400 degrees for
    8-10 minutes.

Vanilla Custard Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In saucepan, combine dry ingredients. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat till bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir small amount of hot mix into egg yolks. Return to hot mix. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla and blend well. Pour into baked pie shell and refrigerate.

I wasn't exactly thrilled about replicating this pie. If you've read my first blog piece, you'll recall that my filling had errant globs of unsightly burnt custard. It's no surprise I filed away that mimeographed pie recipe and hadn't taken it out for decades. But I'm happy to report that my second attempt wasn't a complete disaster: no burnt custard and the crumb crust did not migrate into the filling. No offense to Miss Miranda, but I would substitute cornstarch for the flour. The custard had that cooked flour taste and it was a bit runny. When I removed the first slice from the pan, the custard was not firm enough and began oozing into the empty space. The overall flavor, however, was pleasant. I think Miss Miranda would give me a passing grade this time around!