Buttermilk pie
“Two cups of sugar?” I said to myself as I read over my great-grandma Blanche’s recipe for buttermilk pie. That amount sounded outrageous! But when I mentioned this to a smart bunch of folks, they nodded their heads and said, “Ah, that must be a recipe for buttermilk pie.” And even though I was dubious, I decided to adhere to the wisdom of my elders and bake this sugar-loaded pie as apparently that is just how this pie is done.
Now, if you’re unfamiliar with this old Southern dessert you may be asking, “What is buttermilk pie?” Well, as the name implies, it’s a custard pie made with buttermilk. And while it may sound strange to the uninitiated, take note that Texans have long been resourceful with buttermilk, as for many years it was both inexpensive and widely available. But here’s where defining buttermilk pie becomes tricky, at least for me.
The interesting thing about my recipe is that Grandma Blanche titled it buttermilk chess pie, which begs the question: are chess pie and buttermilk pie the same thing? I used to think that they were not, as I have a chess pie recipe that does not include buttermilk. But perhaps it is simply a variation. I wish I had the answer to these questions, but I don’t. But as I wait patiently for one of you to shed light on this topic I will occupy myself by baking my great-grandma’s buttermilk pie.
Now, to make this pie is a cinch as you simply mix together a custard filling that includes buttermilk, eggs, flour, corn meal and vinegar, and then you pour it into a partially baked pie shell and cook it until it’s set. The hardest thing about making this pie is being patient as you’ll be keeping it in the oven for a while and your home will begin to smell divine.
Not a fan of buttermilk? I wouldn’t worry as this is a luscious dessert. It has a sweet and slightly tangy custard that is wonderful to eat as is, completely unadorned. But if you desire, you could spiffy it up by topping it with some seasonal fruit, candied nuts or a drizzle of sorghum syrup. Many people serve it at Thanksgiving as it sits well on the holiday table with the pecan and sweet potato pies. But you certainly don’t need to a cold-weather holiday to enjoy a slice or two.
And yes, in case you’re wondering, those two cups of sugar do make for a sweet pie but I wouldn’t cut it back too much or it will just taste wrong. Don’t worry as I did: Great-grandma Blanche knew what she was doing.
Great-grandma Blanche’s buttermilk pie
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch unbaked piecrust
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 1 tablespoon flour, 1/2 tablespoon cornmeal
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), softened
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Place the piecrust into pie pan then slide into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Combine the sugar with the flour and cornmeal, if you’re using. Cream the butter. Add the sugar mixture to the butter and then stir in the eggs, salt, buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla extract and vinegar.
- Pour filling into the partially baked piecrust and bake in the oven uncovered until brown on top and the custard has set, about 45-50 minutes.
I just recently got my Mom's old recipe box and am looking forward to spending some quality time making/tweaking her recipes.
But, first, I think I want to try Grandma Blanche's Butter Milk Chess Pie!
Thanks for sharing the recipe…
A friend of mine once said that chess pie got its name from the fact that when you take a bite it makes you exclaim, "Oh, chesssss, that is gooooood." 😉
We always have an (over)abundance of pies at the holidays in my family, and my dad has already said he'll be making coconut cream pie for Thanksgiving. But I might have to add your family's buttermilk chess pie this year. Maybe we should just have turkey, cranberry relish and pies. That would be fine by me. Just being back in Texas this year for Thanksgiving will be a great thing.
I'm still eagerly anticipating your book! I have ex-pat Texan friends who just adopted a baby and I want to send them one so they can raise their new little one with the proper nutrition! 😉
Wow what an awesome recipe. I just recently found your blog and love it. This is a recipe for me to save.
I'm no scientist, but seems to me that the addition of vinegar in your buttermilk pie, chess pie, and vinegar pie must have some important function in the chemistry of the dishes that ties them all together. They probably come from a similar historical root, some medeival English concoction or something. No matter, it looks delicious!
There are different types of chess pie — buttermilk chess, lemon chess, and plain ol' chess (which contains vinegar). My family's type is a buttermilk, but we also make a lemon.
I have never understood what makes a chess pie – it must have something to do with using acid to set the custard, but I do love buttermilk chess. This recipe sounds good!