Chestnut Pie
When she was a child, Mildred harvested and sold chestnuts. She often arose earlier in the morning than her brothers and sisters to pick the cherished nuts, which were a cash crop for many Appalachian families. But by 1950, most American Chestnut trees were wiped out by a devastating blight. Even though you can’t pick chestnuts from a tree growing in the forest now, you can certainly buy chestnuts in the grocery store—most of which aren’t grown in the United States. Processing chestnuts isn’t a chore to be taken lightly because of their very hard shells, so we recommend using sweetened chestnut puree, which can be found in better grocery stores. This pie is moist and has a pleasant hint of orange flavor to complement the earthy, sweet chestnut taste.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 9-inch pie
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the rolled-out crust.
Step 2
Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then add the chestnut puree, cream, sugar, orange juice, and Grand Marnier. Beat with the whisk until entirely smooth, then fold in the egg whites. Spread the filling evenly in the crust, then sprinkle with the nutmeg.
Step 3
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until center is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour, then chill for at least 1 hour before slicing. Serve cold, topped with a dollop of whipped cream.
