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Old 01-03-2006, 02:30 AM
blackjava blackjava is offline
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Default Coffee Shoofly Pie

If you've never tried shoofly pie, or made one, you really should. A specialty\r\n of the Pennsylvania Dutch, it's a very full-flavored, molasses-y pie with a part \r\njelly-like, part crumbly filling. It's noteworthy that historians aren't sure where\r\n the pie got its name. One theory says that the sweet stickiness of the pie was \r\na real fly magnet. Another claims that the name came from the French \r\nchou-fleur - cauliflower - which the surface of the pie is said to resemble, \r\ntexture-wise. In any event, I don't know that the Pennsylvania Dutch ever add \r\ncoffee to theirs. It's not at all out of the question: the coffee flavor has a certain \r\ncompatibility with the molasses. So why wouldn't a clever and thrifty cook \r\nsubstitute leftover coffee for the boiling water that is typically used? \r\n\r\nBottom line: this is a delicious pie, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream \r\nto balance the forward flavor. Easy, too, since you can use a frozen pie shell \r\nfrom the supermarket (or make your own, of course.) I'd love to know what you\r\n think about this pie, so don't hesitate to email me and let me know. \r\n\r\n1 9-inch frozen pie shell\r\n\r\n1 cup all-purpose flour\r\n\r\n1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar\r\n\r\n1/4 teaspoon salt\r\n\r\n1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon\r\n\r\n6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces\r\n\r\n1/2 cup unsulphured or blackstrap molasses\r\n\r\n3/4 cup boiling brewed coffee\r\n\r\n1/2 teaspoon baking soda\r\n\r\n1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract\r\n\r\n1 large egg, lightly beaten \r\n\r\n1. Remove the frozen pie shell from its packaging, then put it back in the \r\nfreezer for the time being. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. \r\n\r\n2. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a \r\nlarge bowl. Mix with your hands. Add the butter. Using your fingers or a \r\npastry blender, rub or cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the \r\nmixture resembles a fine meal that forms small clumps. Set aside.\r\n\r\n3. In another medium bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and \r\nmolasses. Add the boiling coffee, stirring to dissolve the brown sugar. \r\nWhisk in the baking soda, vanilla, and beaten egg.\r\n\r\n4. Pour the molasses liquid into the frozen pie shell. Scatter the crumbs evenly \r\nover the liquid; don't press them down. Put the pie on the center oven rack \r\nand bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake until the filling \r\nis fully set, about 25 minutes longer. When done, the center should not be \r\nsoupy and the filling should wobble as a whole. Transfer the pie to a cooling \r\nrack and cool thoroughly before slicing. \r\n\r\nMakes 8 servings
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