Baking

In her book The Best of Amish Cooking, Phyllis Pellman Good writes that shoofly pies may have been common in the past because “this hybrid cake within a pie shell” fared better than more delicate pies in the old-style bake ovens. With the advent of modern ovens, temperatures could be controlled, allowing for the development of the lighter pies that are standard today. Shoofly pies keep nicely in a pie cupboard. They also freeze well. This recipe uses 1/2 cup each of molasses and corn syrup for a sweeter flavor; you can simply use just a full cup of molasses, leaving out the corn syrup, for a stronger flavor if you like. This version also makes for a pie with a very wet bottom—the bottom of the crust disappears into the filling. If you’d like it drier, cut the water in the filling back to 3/4 cup.

This pie offers a classic smooth texture and can feature any flavor you like. Here are a few suggestions: Try orange gelatin with pineapple juice, grape gelatin with grape juice, or raspberry gelatin with raspberry juice. It’s a perfect light summer dessert, especially with complementary fresh fruit on the side.

This pie is as sweet and sticky as a pecan pie. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or cut the sweetness with a dollop of sour cream or unsweetened whipped cream.

This recipe appeared in the restaurant’s self-published cookbook, which notes that you should “serve only to those who truly appreciate dessert and won’t complain about calories.” This pie reminds me of a quote from Chocolat, the movie based on the book by Joanne Harris: “It melts ever so slightly on your tongue and tortures you with pleasure.”

This recipe was in Mrs. Rowe’s self-published cookbook, Mrs. Rowe’s Favorite Recipes, which is no longer in print. A note at the bottom of the page gives low-fat options, like using low-fat cream cheese and margarine. Give it a whirl if you like, but you’d be missing out on the true-blue flavor of this pie. The coconut and pecans will need close attention while toasting; don’t let their heavenly smell distract you. In fact, they continue to cook for a minute or so after being removed from the heat, so stop cooking them just before they look the way you want them to—golden brown and crunchy. Try the Chocolate Cookie Crust (page 21) for contrast, or the Gingersnap Crust (page 22) to cut the sweetness.

According to Retro Desserts, by Wayne Brachman, this recipe dates back to the 1950s and was developed by a company that makes crème de menthe. Other recipes use a filling more like a Key lime pie, but made with mint. This version is mildly minty and has a texture like frozen cream. It’s a pretty, delicate shade of green even without the food coloring.

The icy strawberry filling in this pie is pleasantly complemented by the luscious whipped cream. The pie tastes just like a margarita—the tequila flavor adds quite a zing. The recipe calls for freezing the whipped cream on top of the pie, but you can also freeze just the strawberry part and add the whipped cream when you serve the pie.

Mudd Pie is a rich treat that’s fun to make; you simply can’t go wrong with it! It’s a fun kitchen activity for children, too, and they love to eat the results.

Stephen Harriman, a writer for the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, says, “For some reason, I was expecting the peanut pie to be a pecan pie look-alike. Instead it looked more like a lemon meringue or banana cream pie. If you like peanuts smooth, you’ll love this.”

Smooth, firm, and creamy, this pie is naturally a lovely shade of pink, so you need not add the food coloring unless you want a deeper color. After 6 hours in the freezer, it’s slice-able but still soft. Left overnight, it’s firm but still creamy—a little piece of strawberry heaven.

This pie, one of the most popular at the Staunton eatery, has a medium-dark chocolate filling topped off with mounds of fresh meringue. Vivian Obie, a cook and baker for the restaurant for over forty years, remembers her first day as a baker, which was an Easter Sunday—one of the busiest days of the year. She recalls using this recipe to make chocolate pie: “The baker who usually made the chocolate pie called in sick. I thought I could do it. I made it and it looked so pretty with the meringue on it and all. I thought I had it made. But when they sliced it, the pie ran all over the place. The chocolate just wasn’t thick enough.” If you follow the instructions and make sure the pie is cooled completely, then don’t worry—it will turn out great.

Peanuts are grown in the southeastern part of Virginia but enjoyed throughout the state, especially in pie. The crunchy peanut butter crumbles and the smoothness of the custard pair for a scrumptious pie experience. For an interesting take on the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, try it in the Chocolate Cookie Crust (page 21).

The texture of this pie is creamier and smoother than the version that Mrs. Rowe’s restaurants serve, which was included in Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant Cookbook: A Lifetime of Recipes from the Shenandoah Valley. For smooth peanut butter fans, this pie is hard to beat. The recipe comes from Susan Simmons, a baker for Mrs. Rowe’s Catering.

Velvety smooth, fragrant, and creamy, this is a warming and perfectly soothing pie.

This luscious pie recipe was found handwritten in Mildred’s notebook. She might have gotten it from relatives in North Carolina. Once it’s completely cool, the pie sets up firm and can be sliced neatly, but it’s also delicious as a warm, gooey mess. Chef William Poole, of Wen Chocolates in Denver, Colorado, says, “This is the best pie I’ve ever had, except for my grandmother’s pumpkin pie.” It’s wonderful served topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

This rich pie is creamy on the inside and crusty on the outside—a treat for those who love chocolate, as well as for those who love interesting contrasts in texture. Serve cold for the best flavor.

Mrs. Rowe’s restaurants serve this luscious dream of a pie for chocolate lovers only on special occasions—but you can make it anytime at home.

Roger Bible, a relative of the Rowe family, says “My favorite pie is Mildred’s banana cream, which she often brought along to family gatherings. I think it was the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

This pie is unbelievably easy—you really can’t fail. You could make this pie in a plain pie crust, but why would you want to when this sweet and spicy alternative is available? When you prepare the egg yolks for the filling, remember to save the whites for the meringue.

This filling, which has a pleasant tartness, bakes up like a firm custard. The pie is at its best when served slightly warm. If it’s been in the refrigerator, 20 seconds in the microwave is all it takes to warm up a slice for that just-baked sensation.