Ellington

Thanksgiving. Christmas. Easter. Birthdays. In my family, any holiday that can include a family meal often means we are having sugar cream pie for dessert. The recipe comes from my mother's grandmother, whom she called Mamie. The recipe is a crowd favorite both at home and whenever any of us brings a pie to someone else. Now, I am bringing this pie to lots of someone elses—all of you—in the form of this recipe that is fairly perfect for the fall season.

Mamie's Sugar Cream Pie

Ingredients:

1 pie shell, baked

2 ¼ cups half-and-half (or milk for a less rich version)

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 stick of butter

¼ cup cornstarch

Pinch of cinnamon sugar or nutmeg (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prick the bottom and sides of the pie shell with a fork and bake at 425°F until light brown. Remove shell to cool and reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups of half-and-half, granulated sugar, brown sugar and the stick of butter over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Stir occasionally.
3. In a bowl, mix the remaining ¼ cup of half-and-half (heated) with the cornstarch to create your thickening agent. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture.
4. Gradually add the cornstarch and half-and-half mixture into the saucepan, a little at a time, stirring each time you pour some in so that it becomes gradually thicker. Warning: Do not pour the whole mixture in at once.
5. Once you have finished pouring the mixture into the pan, stir until the filling is very thick and you can feel the resistance. If the filling seems too thin, create more of the thickening agent mixture using additional cornstarch and half-and-half, as preferred, but make sure the filling is one consistency, with no lumps.
6. Pour the filling into the cooled pie shell. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or nutmeg. Return to a 375°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove.
7. Cool at room temperature. The filling will thicken more as it cools. The pie may be served at room temperature or chilled in the refrigerator beforehand to help the filling solidify even more (my personal preference). Refrigerate any leftovers.