Chess Pies
Chess pie (also known as chess cake, chess tart, & sugar pie) belongs to a long Southern American tradition of sweet egg-rich custard pies. This Southern specialty has a simple filling of eggs, sugar, butter, and a small amount of flour. Some recipes include cornmeal and others are made with vinegar. Flavorings, such as vanilla, lemon juice, or chocolate are also added to vary the basic recipe.
Black Walnut Chess Pie
1/2 cup butter; softened
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoon flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped black walnuts
Dough for a One-Crust Pie
Prepare pie crust; chill. Beat butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl until well-mixed. Add flour, salt, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. Beat until well mixed. Stir in vanilla and walnuts. Pour mixture into unbaked shell. Bake on lower rack of oven at 375° F. for 45 minutes or until center is set but still soft. Cool thoroughly.
Black Walnut Chess Pie #2
from Betty Crocker Cookbook, 1950 edition
3 egg yolks
1 1/3 T. flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cups cream
1 cup black walnuts
Dough for a One-Crust Pie
Beat the egg yolks until light. Add the flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla and mix well. Then add the cream and the walnuts. Pour into a 9" unbaked pie crust.
Bake in 350° F. oven for 50 - 60 minutes until a knife inserted into the filling comes out clean. Best served at room temperature.
