Black Bottom Pie
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This dish was thought to have been created around the turn of the century, but it didn't catch on until the 1930's.
Duncan Hines mentioned it late in the decade in his Adventures in Good Eating and later referred to the pie as "one of those marvelous creations that has somehow mananged to keep its light under a bushel."
This recipe, an adaptation from one in Southern Living magazine, is from the American Century Cookbook.
CRUST
14 gingersnaps
5 tablespoons butter, meltedBOTTOM LAYER
2 cups milk, scalded
4 egg yolks, well-beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon vanillaTOP LAYER
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
4 egg whites (see note)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons rum or bourbonTOPPING
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, shaved into curlsCRUST - Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix gingersnap crumbs and melted butter; pat over bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake 10 minutes; let cool.
BOTTOM LAYER - Slow whisk scalded milk into egg yolks and return to pan. Mix sugar, cornstarch and blend into egg mixture. Set over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture coats back of spoon - about 5 minutes.
Scoop out 1 cup custard, blend in chocolate and vanilla and stir until chocolate melts. Cool, then spread over bottom of crumb crust.
TOP LAYER - While chocolate mixture cools, soften gelatin in water and blend into the remaining hot custard. Let cool.
Beat egg whites until stiff, gradually adding sugar and cream of tartar. Fold into custard along with rum. Spread over chocolate layer in crumb crust.
TOPPING - Whip cream until stiff, then spread it on top of the pie. Sprinkle with chocolate curls. Chill pie several hours before serving.