Vintage Meringue Pies

Recently, I was in my local independent bookstore (Blue Willow Books in west Houston) and I spotted a book dedicated to vintage pies. 

http://www.amazon.com/Easy-as-Pie-Vintage-cookbooks/dp/1595833765

Meringue topping is popular in Texas, but usually on coconut, chocolate, lemon, or banana cream fillings. Here are three of the odder meringue pies I've seen. The Jelly Pie is probably a product of the rationing during WWII.

Mint Ice Cream Meringue Pie

Mint Meringue Ice Cream Pie

 This pie calls for a crumb crust filled with 1 quart of chocolate chip mint ice cream. Freeze the ice cream again for an hour. Then topped the ice cream with a meringue made from 3 egg whites whipped until stiff and then incorporated with 1/2 cup of sugar. Bake at 500F for 2-3 minutes.

Cranberry Meringue Pie

Cranberry Meringue Pie

Cook 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar with 1/4 cup water until it forms a syrup. Add cranberries and cook until the stop popping. Mix 2 Tbsp flour,  1/4 tsp salt, with 4 egg yolks until smooth. Add 3 Tbsp of cooked cranberry filling. Then transfer the thickener to the cranberry filling and cook 3 minutes. Stir in 2 Tbsp butter and 1 tsp vanilla extract and let filling cool. Beat the 4 egg whites until stiff and add 4 Tbsp powdered sugar. Fill crumb crust with cranberry filling and top with meringue. Bake at 450F until the meringue is set and lightly browned.

Jelly Meringue Pie

Jelly Pie

Cream 1/2 butter. Add 1/2 granulated sugar and cream together. Add 3 Tbsp flour and 1 tsp salt and beat until light and fluffy. Beat 3 egg yolks and add to the mixure. Slowly add juice of 1/2 lemon and
3/4 cup of red currant jelly. Make a single pastry crust and fill with jelly filling. Bake 450F for 10, then decrease to 350F and bake an additional 20 minutes. Beat 3 egg whites with 6 Tbsp powdered sugar and top the pie with the merigue. Bake for an additional 15 minutes at 350F.