When my brother-in-law John turned fifty, my sister, Beth, wanted to make a really special dessert for him. She remembered his mentioning a favorite butterscotch pie his mother, Blanche, used to make and this recipe came from her. It was a big hit on his birthday.

　　

Ingredients

serves 8

　　1 cup light brown sugar, packed

　　3 tablespoons butter

　　4 tablespoons heavy cream

　　2 cups milk

　　3 tablespoons cornstarch

　　3 large eggs, separated

　　1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　Pinch of salt

　　1/4 cup granulated sugar

　　1 9-inch pie crust, homemade (page 182) or purchased, prebaked as directed

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

In a medium saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, butter, and cream. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a full boil, becoming thick and brown, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 3

In a measuring cup, mix the milk, cornstarch, egg yolks, and vanilla together. Add to the sugar mixture, stirring constantly, and cook until thick, about 3 minutes. Pour the filling into the prebaked pie crust.

　　

Step 4

Make the meringue by beating the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they begin to get stiff. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating until the whites are stiff and hold peaks. Spread the meringue on top of the pie, taking care to spread it to the edges of the crust. Bake until light brown.

　　Reprinted with permission from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours by Trisha Yearwood with Gwen Yearwood and Beth Yearwood Bernard. Copyright © 2008 by Trisha Yearwood. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Trisha Yearwood is a three-time Grammy-award winning country music star and the author of the bestselling cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. She is married to megastar Garth Brooks.