For me, finding a new pie recipe is kind of like finding treasure. It’s never guarded by a dragon, unless you count the oven; it’s a fairly easy conquest; and the reward at the end is always worth the effort.

This time, I was entranced by a Butterscotch Pie recipe found in the First United Methodist Church of Stanley’s “Lilies of the Field” cookbook. You know the kind, one of those old-timey, spiral-bound cookbooks filled with tried and true delectable delights. This delight was no disappointment.

The pie is light and airy, with a whipped feel that doesn’t quite approach custard. This is due to the final step of folding in the whipped egg whites before baking. It certainly has a delicious buttery, butterscotch taste that I never would’ve believed was this easy to create. Without further ado, the Butterscotch Pie, which I have aptly delineated “Heavenly.”

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar

3 tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups milk, scalded

3 eggs, separated

3 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

1. Pre-bake the pie shell at 375 degrees until golden brown.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk, in the top of a non-stick pot.

3. Scald the milk in the microwave (I find this easier than scalding on the stove), by cooking for about 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it, because it will easily boil over in your microwave.

4. Gradually stir in the milk into the dry ingredients until the mixture is smooth.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or until thickened.

6. Beat the 3 egg yolks until foamy. Add a few spoonfuls of the hot mixture into the egg yolks and stir. Then add the yolks to the pudding mixture. (This is very important so the mixture doesn’t cook the egg yolks.)

7. Cook for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat.

8. Add butter and vanilla.

9. Whip the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the pudding mix.

10. Pour into the already-baked pie shell and bake for 10 minutes (at the same temperature as you baked the pie shell, 375) until light, golden brown.

11. Enjoy!

Molly’s Take: I don’t think I’ve ever had such a light, airy, sweet dessert as this Butterscotch Pie. It truly delights with its warm, brown sugar, butterscotch taste and the smooth texture created by the combination of the whipped egg whites and pudding. I’ll definitely keep this one on tap as one of my go-to sweet pie recipes. It truly is a praiseworthy pie!

Matthew’s Take: I’ve had all kinds of custard pies. And I’ve had a few butterscotch-filling desserts that my mom has made over the years. This Butterscotch Pie is different than all of them. It has a very tasty and unique texture that, as Molly said, isn’t quite custard. It’s not quite pudding either. The top also offers a different consistency than the tops of most pies. It has what appears to be an ever-so-thin crust on top. There’s an interesting combination of light and richness with this pie that I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced. It’s a nice choice for a different option for a simple, light and satisfying dessert.