1975 Dick Taeuber’s Brandy Alexander Pie
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Author Notes: In January 1970, The Times published a recipe for brandy Alexander pie. It was an unassuming confection: a graham-cracker crust filled with a wobbly, creamy mousse and enough alcohol to raise the hair on your neck and then make your neck wobbly too. Later that year, Craig Claiborne, then the food editor, declared it one of the paper's three most-requested dessert recipes (the other two were cheesecake and pots-de-creme) and ran it again. Cooking Notes: The chiffon filling will be fluffier if you let the egg whites come to room temperature before whipping. The filling is made by folding whipped egg whites into a base thickened with egg yolks and gelatin. Be careful not to chill the base too much or the filling will be lumpy. Chocolate shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler was once a classy garnish. Why not? - amanda
Serves 6
- 1 1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs
- 1/4 cups melted butter
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1/4 cup Cognac
- 1/4 cup Crème de Cacao
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the crumbs with the butter. Form in a 9-inch pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool.
- Pour 1/2 cup cold water in a saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Add 1/3 cup sugar, salt and egg yolks. Stir to blend.
- Place over low heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves and mixture thickens slightly (it won’t be as thick as a custard). Do not boil! Remove from heat.
- Stir the liqueurs or liquor into the mixture. Then chill until the mixture starts to mound slightly.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add the remaining sugar and beat until the peaks are firm. Fold the meringue into the thickened mixture.
- Whip the cream, then fold into the mixture.
- Turn the mixture into the crust. Chill for several hours or overnight.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
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over 2 years ago Loves Pie
Out of curiosity, when this was published in 1975 was it in an article called "Pie Spiked"?
There was this great Times magazine article about alcohol flavored pies - one was "Grasshopper Pie": I made it for my first dinner party in college and I thought I was so chic. Holy cow does this take me back!!!
over 2 years ago amanda
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
That's the one!
over 2 years ago mrslarkin
Mrs. Larkin is a trusted source on Baking.
So delicious! I made this for Thanksgiving. Used rum. Heed Amanda's advice and don't chill the base too long at step 5. Check it after 15 minutes.
over 2 years ago amanda
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
Glad you liked it -- and yes, I've made many a lumpy booze pie after letting the base chill for too long!