Vinegar Pie

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VINEGAR PIE – It’s Actually Really Good
From the kitchen of Maple Trout Lilli

On this blustery Sunday (wind chill 6 degrees), Maple Trout Lilli stayed cozy in her kitchen. She writes:

Normally I don’t associate vinegar with dessert and it’s for this reason that the following recipe grabbed my attention. From another era when you worked with what was locally available and utilized everything.

I came across this reference to Vinegar Pie in a book I’m reading which spans the mid-1800’s to depression era in Vermont.   I did some digging and reworked a recipe I found online to include maple sugar. Why Vinegar?? Because you’re back in the late 1800’s, you’re a pioneer with no access to fresh fruit, you’re resourceful and you’ve exhausted your supply of apples, save a little vinegar in the bottom of the barrel.

I could probably add some other fancy words to this humble title, but I want you all to be intrigued by its name enough to give it a try.

VINEGAR PIE

1 8” pie crust, baked
¼ cup sifted all purpose flour
1 cup maple sugar – divided
1 cup water
3 egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 egg whites
4 tablespoons maple sugar

 

  1. Preheat Oven to 325
  2. Mix flour with ½ cup sugar. Add the water gradually and cook on top of a double boiler for 15 minutes, stirring constantly, or until thickened.
  3. Combine remaining ½ cup sugar with the yolks and salt. Mix well with a whisk until sugar is dissolved. Add hot flour mixture to the yolk mixture gradually, mixing all the time. Return to the double boiler and cook for 3 minutes or more until the mixture is thick and smooth
  4. Add butter, maple syrup and vinegar.     Mix well and remove from heat. Place of piece of waxed paper on top of the custard.
  5. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until foamy and gradually add the 3 tablespoons of sugar. Beat until a stiff, flossy peak is achieved.
  6. Remove wax paper and pour custard filling into the prebaked shell. Top w/meringue. Place in oven and bake until meringue is nice and brown, about 15 minutes.

-MTL