Texas Delight Pie

Notes: Originally from the Montgomery Journal, adapted by Barbara Steppel. Single filling recipe makes 8"-9" pie; 1.5x recipe makes either a 10" shallow pie or a 9" plus 2 tarts. Make 1 day ahead to allow filling to refrigerate overnight before serving.

Ingredients

• 16 oz. unsweetened plain applesauce (ingredients are just apples and citric acid)

• 1/2 cup water

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 cup water

• 3.5 Tbsp cornstarch

• 2 egg yolks

• 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) margarine

• 2 tsp vanilla

• one 9" pie shell

Mise en Place

1. Bake pie shell: Preheat oven to 450. Grease inside of glass pie plate. Position rolled-out raw piecrust dough; clean up and crimp edges to look pretty. Poke holes on the bottom and sides with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until crust barely turns golden brown (watch carefully so edges don't burn).

2. In a small cup, dissolve 3.5 Tbsp of cornstarch into 1/4 cup of water.

3. In a different small cup, briefly beat 2 egg yolks with a fork.

4. Gradually stir the cornstarch/water mixture into the egg yolks and set aside.

Directions

1. In a saucepan, bring applesauce, 1/2 cup water, sugar, salt, and cinnamon to a boil.

2. Gradually stir the cornstarch/water/eggyolk mixture into the saucepan with the applesauce mixture, and cook on medium heat until thickened, stirring to make sure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan.

3. Remove from heat. Add margarine and vanilla, stirring until margarine melts and everything combines.

4. Cool filling for about 10-15 minutes at room temperature. Pour filling into the pre-baked pie shell. Cool on a cooling rack until room temperature, then refrigerate overnight before serving.

5. Serve topped with whipped cream.