Fun

The Pie That Saved a Pioneer + 8 Recipes for Pi Day Today

From pumpkin pie to apple pie to chicken pot pie, the tasty treat used to celebrate this quirky holiday has some unique connections to Latter-day Saints.

Pioneer Louisa Mellor Clark, a member of the Martin handcart company, told the story of how a pie saved her mother after she had given up on life and their journey: 

"My mother, still being weak, finally gave up and said she could go no further. The company could not wait for her, so she bade my father goodbye and kissed each one of the children Godspeed. Then my mother sat down on a boulder and wept. I told my sister, Elizabeth, to take good care of the twins and the rest of the family, and that I would stay with mother. I went a few yards away and prayed with faith that God would help us, that He would protect us from wolves, and that He would let us reach camp. As I was going back to where my mother was sitting I found a pie in the road. I picked it up and gave it to mother to eat. After resting awhile we started on our journey, thanking God for the blessings. A few miles before we reached camp we met my father coming out to meet us. We arrived in camp at 10:00 p.m."

Pie was also significant to President Joseph F. Smith, whose favorite lunch treat, according to a June 1976Ensignwas custard pie. In addition to President Smith's recipe, we've rounded up more yummy pie recipes to help you celebrate this extra special pi day! Click on the links below to go directly to a recipe, or browse through for something new.

Carmel Apple Pie from the Lion House Bakery

Peanut Butter "Chunky Monkey" Pie from Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen

Blueberry Meringue Pie from The Romney Family Table

Banana Cream Pie from Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen

Classic Key Lime Pie from The Romney Family Table

Pie in a Jar from Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen

Baked Apple Pie French Toast from The Six Sisters' Stuff

Chocolate Chiffon Pie

  • 1 9-inch pastry shell, baked and cooled
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3⁄4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate, melted
  • 1 cup heavy cream; whipped with 4 tablespoons sugar to sweeten

Beat butter; add sugar and beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating 5 minutes after each addition. Add vanilla and chocolate. Pour into prepared pie shell. Top with whipped cream.


For more delicious recipes like this one, check out The Romney Family Table, available at deseretbook.com 

Carmel Apple Pie

Photo an approximation

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus additional for dusting top crust
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus additional for dusting top crust
  • 1 large pinch nutmeg, plus additional for dusting top crust
  • 8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 2 tablespoons cream
  • Pie crust (enough for double-crust pie)
  • 1 recipe Caramel Sauce (see below)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, kosher salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss in apples, and stir in vanilla. Set aside. Stir the apple mixture every 15 to 20 minutes while making the crust.
Once pastry dough is prepared, roll out pastry for bottom crust 3 inches larger than the pie tin. Ease pastry into pan and cut away so only half an inch is overlapping the edge of the pie tin.

Pour apple filling into the pie pan. Dot the butter over the apples. Brush cream around edges of pie crust.

Roll out pastry for top crust, fold in half, and cut three 1/2-inch slits through both layers of crust. Unfold crust and place over the apples. Trim away extra crust, leaving 1 inch overlapping. Crimp edges. Brush cream over top and sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg.

Cover the edges of the pie with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove the tin foil from edges after 30 minutes. Cover the whole pie with tin foil for the last 20 minutes. Cool on a rack for 1 hour. While pie is cooking make the caramel sauce. Drizzle warm sauce over pie before serving.

Caramel Sauce

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt butter on high heat. Add brown sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium, until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Drizzle over the warm pie.


For more tasty recipes, check out the Lion House Bakery, available at deseretbook.com

Chunky Monkey Pie

  • 1 (3.4-ounce) box of instant chocolate or vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 (6-ounce) purchased chocolate cookie crusts.
  • 2 large or 4 small bananas (approximately)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • One package honey-roasted peanuts

1. In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes.
2. In another bowl, whip 1 cup of cream until soft peaks form. Blend peanut butter into the pudding mixture, then fold in whipped cream and return the mixture to the refrigerator.

3. Slice the bananas and layer them on the bottom of the crusts. Be sure to save the plastic domes that come with the pie crusts—you’ll need them later! Set aside.

4. Now divide the pudding mixture between the two pie crusts.

5. In a medium bowl, whip the remaining whipping cream with 1⁄3 cup of powdered sugar until soft peaks form and then spread it on top of the two pies. Place the clear plastic shells back on the pies and refrigerate for several hours. Sprinkle with honey-roasted peanuts just before serving.


For more simple and delicious recipes, check out Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen, available at deseretbook.com

Blueberry Meringue Pie

  • 1 9-inch pastry shell, baked and cooled
  • 3 cups fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

In the top of a double boiler, mix together blueberries, sugar, flour, lemon juice, salt, and 2 egg yolks. Cook over boiling water for 10 minutes, or until thick, stirring constantly. Turn into prepared pastry shell. Next, prepare the meringue by whipping the two egg whites until stiff, gradually adding powdered sugar to sweeten. Spread meringue over filling in pastry shell, being sure to seal the edges all around. Bake at 350 degrees F. about 15 minutes or until browned.


Check out more tasty recipes in The Romney Family Table, available at deseretbook.com

Banana Cream Pie

Photo an approximation

  • 1 (3.4-ounce) box of instant chocolate or vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 2 (6-ounce) purchased cookie crusts. You can use anything—graham crackers, Nilla Wafers, shortbread, even Oreo.
  • 2 large or 4 small bananas (approximately)
  • 1⁄3 cup powdered sugar

1. In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes.
2. In another bowl, whip 1 cup of cream until soft peaks form. Fold into the pudding mixture and then return the mixture to the refrigerator.

3. Slice the bananas and layer them on the bottom of the crusts. Be sure to save the plastic domes that come with the pie crusts—you’ll need them later! Set aside.

4. Now divide the pudding mixture between the two pie crusts.

5. In a medium bowl, whip the remaining whipping cream with 1⁄3 cup of powdered sugar until soft peaks form and then spread it on top of the two pies. Place the clear plastic shells back on the pies and refrigerate for several hours.


For other new recipes to try with your family, check out Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen, available at deseretbook.com

Classic Key Lime Pie

Crust

  • 1 1⁄2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (about one 9-ounce package chocolate wafers, crushed)
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Pie filling

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 1⁄2 cups sweetened condensed milk
  • 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
  • 1⁄3 to 1⁄2 cup fresh lime juice (use key limes if available—they’re the real thing; add to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Crust: Combine crumbs and melted butter, mix well. Press mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Prebake crust about 15 minutes. Let cool.

Pie filling: Beat egg yolks until light. Add sweetened condensed milk and cream; blend well. Beat in lime juice and zest. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake until custard is just set, about 15 minutes. Outside edges of pie should be firm and the center should be soft. Cool to room temperature.


See more recipes to try at your family table in The Romney Family Table, available at deseretbook.com

Pie in a Jar

These single serving pies can be prepped and then stored in the freezer until a craving strikes. They’re also great baked up for neighbor gifts, teacher gifts, or I’d-like-to-be-out-of-the-doghouse gifts . . .

  • Wide-mouth jars. You want the short, squatty ones with sides that go straight up and down from top to bottom.
  • Pie crust dough. You can either make homemade pie crust dough or just buy a roll of pre-packaged dough. Either will make approximately 4 pies.
  • 2 cups prepared fruit (pitted, diced, peeled, etc.)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar, brown or granulated (use more or less depending on sweetness of fruit)
  • 2 tablespoons flour (again, more if your fruit is super juicy like cherries, less if it’s pretty dry)
  • Seasonings and flavorings (cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and almond extract, citrus zest, etc.)
  • 1 tablespoon butter (divided among the pies)

1. Roll out a 1⁄4-inch thick piece of dough into an 8 x 8-inch square. Using the metal ring from the top of your jar as a cookie cutter, cut out 4 circles of dough.

2. Use the rest of the dough to line the jars. Break the dough into small pieces and press them along the inside of the jar, making sure the dough is pressed all the way up to the top of the jar.

3. Combine prepared fruit, sugar, flour, and seasoning. Fill the pies. Each pie will hold approximately 1⁄2 cup of pie filling. Use either filling below, or pick a favorite flavor of canned filling.

4. The dough circles you set aside will need vents so steam can escape. Use a knife to make a couple of slits or a tiny cookie cutter to make it decorative. When your topper is ready, slip it onto the top of the pie. Gently press down so the edges of the circle are completely inside the jar. Use your fingers, or a fork, to press the dough from the top into the dough on the edge of the jar to seal. If desired, brush the top with a little melted butter and a sprinkle of sugar.Or, if you prefer, skip the dough topper and try the crumb topping, or top the pies with a mini lattice crust (see p. 223 for instructions).

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place open jars on a baking sheet and bake for 45–55 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Freezer instructions: Once pies are prepared through step 4, they can be frozen and kept for 2–3 months. To freeze, place metal tops on pies and screw the rings on securely. Place pies in freezer. 

To cook from frozen: remove pie from freezer and place on baking sheet. Remove both the metal ring and the metal top. Place pie in oven and then turn heat to 375 degrees F. Bake for 50–60 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Apple Pie Filling

  • 2 cups diced, peeled tart green apples
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon butter, chopped into small pieces and divided among 4 pies

Toss all ingredients together and stir to combine. Divide mixture among the pies and dot the pies with butter.
Crumb Topping

Makes topping for 4–6 pies

  • 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
  • 1⁄4 cup flour
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter
  • 2 tablespoons oats

Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender. Add oats and stir to combine.


Find other unique ideas and recipes in Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen, available at deseretbook.com

Put a twist on breakfast and celebrate with Baked Apple Pie French Toast from Six Sisters' Stuff

Baked Apple Pie French Toast

  • 12 slices Texas toast
  • 1 (21 oz.) can apple pie filling
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup cold butter, cubed
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup

Arrange 6 slices of bread in greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread bread with pie filling and top with remaining bread slices. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 350° F. Remove dish from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Place brown sugar in small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans and corn syrup. Sprinkle over French toast and bake, uncovered, 35–40 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Makes 6 servings.


Find other recipes and ideas in The Six Sisters' Stuff books, available at deseretbook.com

Bonus! If pie crust and fruit aren't your thing, try this pie twist: Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie.

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