Butterscotch Meringue Pie

A slice of cream pie with a golden crust and whipped topping on a white plate, set next to a cup of black coffee.

This pie is a bit luscious with the rich and silky butterscotch custard in a flakey pie crust and topped with a layer of meringue. Sometimes you have to indulge.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings slices

Calories 386kcal

Author Jere' Cassidy

Equipment

Ingredients

Butterscotch Custard for Pie

2 ½ cups milk
1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup AP flour
2 large eggs separated reserve the egg whites
1 ½ tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 8" or 9" prebaked pie shell

Meringue

5 egg whites use the two left over from the custard
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

Butterscotch Custard

In a medium bowl add ½ cup of milk, flour, and egg yolks. Mix until smooth and set aside.
In a skillet or medium-sized saucepan add 2 cups of milk over low heat. Cook just until the milk starts to bubble.
Over medium-low heat add the brown sugar, salt, and ½ cup of water to a small saucepan and cook to a gentle boil. Continue cooking until the sugar mixture thickens and starts bubbling.
Slowly add the caramelized sugar to the hot milk stirring constantly. Continue to cook over over medium-low heat.
Slowly whisk in the egg yolk mixture. Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the custard becomes thick. This may take about ten minutes and the custard should coat the back of a spoon.
Take off the heat and add the butter and vanilla, stir to combine. Pour into the prebaked pie shell.

Meringue

In a large bowl or a stand mixer beat the egg whites and whisk until foamy.
Whisk in the cornstarch and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually whisk in the sugar until the meringue is stiff but not dry and peaks form.
Spread the meringue over the hot butterscotch filling. Make sure to spread completely to the edges of the pie.
Place in a 350° degree oven for about 8 minutes to brown the meringue.
Let the pie cool completely before serving
After serving lightly cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
Note: The meringue may weep once refrigerated.

Notes

The prep time and cook time does not include the prebaked pie shell.

If you prefer a cooked meringue use this recipe

Swiss Meringue option:

Ingredients

4 egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Fill a saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a slow simmer over medium- low heat.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar and egg white and whisk to combine.
Set the bowl over the simmering water (bain marie) and whisk until the sugar is dissolved or the mixture reaches 160 degrees.
Remove the bowl from the heat and add the salt and cream of tarter. Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk, mix until soft peaks form, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the vanilla and whisk to combine.
Spread the meringue over the filling. Make sure it touches the pie crust. Fluff the meringue with the back of a spoon to make decorative peaks.
Place the pie under a broiler to brown the meringue. Watch closely and turn the pie frequently to prevent overbrowning.

How to cut a meringue pie

Use a sharp, narrow knife.
Run the blade under hot water and dry it off with a paper towel. Do this between slices as well.
With the tip of the knife, insert it into just the top of the meringue to make little cuts - like a dotted line,(don't cut deep down into the meringue.) Do this where you want to cut the slice.
Run the knife blade under hot water, dry it off, then slice the pie where you made the tiny cuts. Make sure the blade reaches the bottom of the pie crust. You may need to clean the knife again to ensure a nice clean cut.

One Hot Oven provides approximate nutritional information as a courtesy and cannot guarantee the accuracy for any recipe on this blog.

Nutrition