The saga of my pie making continues. I think I have gained about thirty pounds this year (I don’t want to step on the scale to confirm it, but I am down to one pair of pants that button and a myriad of stretchy yoga pants) and I blame pie. I’ve been making and eating way too much of it this year! Since I have gotten very proficient at pie making, I donated a “homemade pie-a-month for a year” at our elementary school auction and two families won it. I am trying to give them a variety of pie experiences, so today they got one I made up with the help of my 1922 cookbook, A Calendar of Dinners.
I love old cookbooks and I found this particular one at a garage sale while at the Farm Chicks show in Spokane. A Calendar of Dinners, though by Marion Harris Neil, seems to be sponsored by Crisco. Every single recipe calls for Crisco and the first chapter is the story of Crisco. I like what this cookbook has to say. It explains, very scientifically, how man’s most important food is fat. Did you know that “no other food supplies our bodies with the drive, the vigor, which fat gives”? Hmmm, that’s where I get all of my vigor! There is also a chapter explaining The Importance of Giving Children Crisco Food. It explains that “a good digestion will mean much to the younster’s health and character. A man seldom seems to be stronger than his stomach, for indigestion handicaps him in his accomplishment of big things….Equip your children with good stomachs by giving them wholesome Crisco foods-foods which digest with ease”. I wonder if the Super Nanny knows about this?
So, anyways, I found a recipe in there for an almond layer pie which calls for two layers of almond filling sandwiched between three layers of pie crust. Interesting! I upped the amount of almonds and thought a layer of raspberry filling on top would really make it more tasty along with some whipped cream. So, this is what I came up with. I hope my auction winners like it!
Raspberry Almond Layer Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 recipe of Paiges Pie Dough
- 6 T. crisco
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 lemon grated rind
- 2 T. fresh lemon juice
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 t. salt
- 1 cup almonds, ground fine in food processor
- 1/2 -1 t. almond extract
- 3-4 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup sugar (or more if needed)
- 1/4-3/8 cup corn starch
- 1 pint whipping cream
- 1-2 T. sugar
- 1 t. vanilla
Cooking Directions:
- Line pie pan with pie crust and crimp edges of crust.
- Make filling: Cream crisco and 3/4 cup sugar together, thoroughly beat in eggs, almonds, salt,almond extract, lemon rind and lemon juice.
- Roll out 2 more thin layers of crust – cut into circles so that they will fit within pie pan.
- Spread one-half of filling onto pastry. Cover with a pastry round.
- Spread the rest of the filling over the pastry round and then top with the second pastry round.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Take out and cool.
- Make raspberry filling by bringing raspberries, 1/2 cup sugar and corn starch to a boil while stirring constantly. Boil a minute or two until mixture becomes translucent. Remove from heat and cool.
- When cool spread over top of pie.
- Refrigerate a couple of hours before serving. Top with sweetened whipped cream made by whipping cream with sugar and vanilla.