Earl's Creamed Pear Pie
Some of my favorite pies are meringues. I love pies that approach custard in their consistency, and though I usually stick to citrus (lime meringue, mandarin meringue, etc.) I decided to try something new-- and it worked!
The creamed pear pie is its own beast. The recipe borrows from the basic structure of key lime, lemon meringue and pumpkin pies, but it's made with pear puree! The sweetness of the pears really shines in this recipe. My wife loves them!
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened, condensed milk
- 1 and 1/2 cup pureed bartlett pear
- 1 pie crust (thawed or room temp)
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, (optional)
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, (optional)
Note: This recipe works best when made with pears chosen for maximum sweetness and ripeness. When making this pie myself, I generally prefer to use pears that are going soft and aren't all that pretty to look at. Just cut the bad bits off and throw the good bits into a blender to make your puree.
Instructions:
- Separate egg yolks from whites and put the yolks in a bowl with the pureed pear and the condensed milk. If desired, save the whites for a meringue topping (covered below.)
- Mix until smooth, then pour into your pie crust.
- Stick the pie in a preheated oven (350 degrees F) for 25 minutes or until the mixture is firm when you shake the pie tin. Take out and allow to cool.
- (OPTIONAL:) If you'd like to give your pie a meringue topping, combine the egg whites with 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar. Whisk with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, then spoon the mixture onto the cooled pie. Brown in the oven at 325 for about five to ten minutes or until the peaks of the meringue are brown. (Whisking the meringue can take a good hour or so, so budget your time accordingly.)
- When you're done, allow the pie to chill. In about two hours, it'll be delicious and ready to eat!
