Two of my Mom's Best Pies...and a cake

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I'm going to put here Mom's Two Best...well among them.

Mom's Chocolate Pie

1 10 inch pie shell
or graham cracker crust ( she never uses graham cracker tho)
2 egg yolks
1 egg
11/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, softened


In the top of a double boiler mix egg yolks, egg, sugar, cocoa, flour, milk, salt with a wire whisk.
Cook over a low heat until thick, stirring constantly.
Add vanilla extract and butter, continue stirring until butter is completely dissolved.

Here is her secret she adds in about half of a small package of made up cook chocolate fudge pudding mix she has made at the same time and according to directions.

Garnish with whipped cream.

Enjoy


And here is the crust as well as a great way to use bananas!

Pie crust
this is for two pies, 10 inch I think
She's telling me these so this was pretty conversational....
sift the flour, measure, sift
3 cups of flour (sifted after measuring)
1 tsp salt
stir that
add
1 cup of crisco
the way she does that is cut it in like with two knives a pie pasty cutter tool
cut in crisco until the size of peas
take 6 or so tablespoons very cold water
mix in a tbps at a time, make sure ice water
don't want it too wet, between five and six

Pick it up in a ball, flattened.
Divide in half
Put one half between waxed paper roll out with a rolling pin always going from center to the outside until rolled big enough to fit over pie pan
Go around in the rolling she says
Lift off one side paper, turn into dish, then peel off other side paper
she strips the paper off carefully one side.
Pinch top of crust. Crimping.
She takes a fork puts little holes all over, even on sides
Bake at 425 for 15 minutes watch carefully as it keeps browning after it comes out


Banana Creme Recipe
9 inch pie shell
4 ripe bananas
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 egg yolk
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
Whipping cream for top

Mix the sugar, salt, flour. Add the milk gradually. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Continue to cook for 3 minutes. Add some of the hot mixture to slightly beaten egg yolk while stirring. Add to hot mixture and cook for another minute. Add butter and flavoring. Cool. Slice bananas into pie shell and pour the mixture over them. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream.

I think sometimes she doubles this...which is really appealing...

Chocolate Velvet Cake
(with an icing we never use)

3 (1oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
Creamy Coffee Frosting ( mom uses fudge frosting)
1 square unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp. butter
(she does nothing in italics)

Combine 3 squares chocolate and water in a saucepan. Heat until it comes to a boil.
Cream together 1/2 cup butter and sugar in bowl until light and fluffy, using an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift together cake flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. blend in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Pour into 2 greased and waxed paper lined 9" round cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees 35 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, cook on racks. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread with Creamy coffee Frosting. Top with second layer. Frost sides and top of cake with Creamy Coffee Frosting.
Then melt one square chocolate and 1 tsp. butter in saucepan over low heat, stir occasionally. Cool slightly.
Spoon chocolate along edge of cake, allowing it to drip down sides.

Creamy Coffee Frosting
Combine 2 tsp. instant coffee crystals and 2 tblsp. hot water, set aside. Combine 3/4 cup soft butter , 6 cups sifted confectionery sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 4 tbsp milk, and coffee mixture in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth.