This is the that pie inspired me to start my blog. I was organizing my cookbooks one day when I found the original recipe. I’ve never heard of a “Vinegar Pie” before — I just kind of put it back in the cookbook and arranged the book back on the self. The recipe kept playing around in my head, but I couldn’t figure out how the ingredients would come together to create a tasty pie.
I honestly thought that this recipe was a joke. A few weeks after finding the recipe, I was attending a funeral. During the eulogy, someone mentioned that the deceased person made the most amazing vinegar pie. I thought, Wait … it’s really a thing!!
When I returned home, I took out the recipe and followed the instructions. I baked the pie for almost 1 hour, but it didn’t work. It was soupy and tasted horrible. I decided it wasn’t worth my efforts. When I started discussing plans for the blog, this recipe was always rattling around in my brain.
So, a month ago, I was determined that I was going to crack the vinegar pie code. I read the recipe again, and thought I needed to use my cooking knowledge and make this work. A double-broiler was my answer. I’ve baked this pie a few times now. I’ve tweaked it a few times, and the recipe below is my best version.
You might be wondering it tastes like … well, it tastes like lemon! It’s a custard pie, but there’s no taste of vinegar once its baked. It’s light and delicate. I’ve baked it in a store-bought pie shell and in a tart form (tart shell in Apple Macadamia recipe), which I prefer. I’ve also done it with white vinegar and with apple cider vinegar. They both resulted in the same taste, but I prefer the apple cider vinegar.
Ingredients:
1 (9-inch, deep dish) pie crust
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Yield:1 (9-inch) pie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prebake the crust for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a double boiler over medium-high heat, mix the sugar with water with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved.
Switch to a whisk and add the flour. The mixture will look like paste.
Add the vinegar and continue whisking.
Take the mixture off the heat and add the egg.
Continue whisking until the mixture is well incorporated and forms a custard consistency.
Place the custard in the crust and bake for 30-35 minutes. A cake tester should come out clean.
When cooled, dust nutmeg on top.
Serve with whipped cream.
