Old Fashioned Chess Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my chess pie crack? ›

When you move a pie out of the oven too fast, you risk cracking the top. One trick of the trade to keep pies from cracking is to place the pie dish on a cookie tray to bake. That way, when you take it out of the oven once it's finished baking, you don't have to worry about moving it too much.

Ingredients for Chess Pie

Sugar: Adds sweetness and thickness to the custard. Cornmeal: Along with flour, cornmeal helps thicken up the chess pie's custard.

The player who made the first move becomes the second player and makes the second move on the board. This is demonstrated in the chess diagrams shown here. Switching the first piece can occur in games where the board starts empty and the first move consists of placing one piece.

Vintage Funeral Pie Recipe is an old-fashioned dessert that is made from raisins, spices, and walnuts. It was traditionally made by the Amish, but this sugary pie fits right into a Southern cook's recipe box.

Unlike a typical custard pie, that wobbly middle will not fully set up when it's cool due to the high sugar content. So bake the pie until it just sets up, and there is no jiggle left in the pie.

MAKE AHEAD: The pies can be held at room temperature for up to 24 hours, then refrigerate for up to 3 days. From Donovan, pastry chef and food writer in Nashville.

Yes, chess pie can be stored up to 2 days room temperature. Does chess pie have to be refrigerated? No, it does not. Chess pie can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated, whichever you prefer.

However, chess pie is made with cornmeal to thicken the filling, whereas buttermilk pies generally only use all-purpose flour.

Though it's not always called upon to thicken the filling, cornmeal is frequently what gives a chess pie it's velvety texture and yellow color. Buttermilk pie, meanwhile, always has buttermilk. More acids, like lemon juice or vinegar, are also frequently added to brighten up the recipe even more.

What is the difference between this pie and custard pie? While both pies have a custard filling, the main difference is that chess pie has cornmeal in the filling. There is also acidity added (from the cider vinegar) to balance out the sweetness of the chess pie.

What is another name for chess pie? ›

Chess pie was originally known as vinegar pie. Yes, I know this will shock people to hear the true tale of their beloved chess pie. In South Georgia it was historically a common pie since sugar cane was grown and processed there and vinegar was a common pantry item.

There are numerous stories about the derivation of its name: One origin story claims it was stored by the colonists in a pie chest, ergo, a “chess.” Or, some say, when first-time eaters asked about what they were consuming, the reply came, “It's chess pie,”—the word “just” having been mistaken for chess.

Pie birds aren't necessary, but they do help prevent soggy crusts and sticky messes.

While chess pie can include buttermilk to balance out the sweetness of all that sugar, it doesn't have to include buttermilk. More often, vinegar is used to get that job done. Though it's not always called upon to thicken the filling, cornmeal is frequently what gives a chess pie it's velvety texture and yellow color.

One story is that it was called a "chest" pie, since it was made with anything found in your chest, or pantry, but because of the Southern accent, it turned into "chess." Another story is that a woman who whipped up the recipe called it "just pie," which with the Southern accent, it turned into "chess" pie.

Combine the eggs, butter, buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla, brown sugar, cornmeal, and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the lemon zest and stir until well combined.

No one is entirely sure how chess pie got its name. Some say the pie used to be stored in an old-fashioned pie chest, or "chess" if you've got a Southern drawl.