You Asked For It: Pie is perfect with citrus at its peak

By ANNE LONG
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 30, 2002

In answer to Catherine Tuglus' request for a citrus chiffon pie recipe, Nancy Eggert sends one for tangerine pie. Nancy found this recipe for chiffon pie in a meringue crust in a cookbook featuring Florida citrus recipes. This is the time of the year when citrus is best, so give this recipe a try.

Dona Steinbach writes that her recipe for citrus chiffon pie flavored with lemon and orange is a very old one that she found in her grandmother's files.

Nancy Eggert shares another recipe from her collection. She has tested these oatmeal cookies adapted from a Quaker Oats recipe and gives them an A-plus grade.

For: Catherine Tuglus of St. Petersburg

From: Nancy Eggert of Dunedin

Recipe: Tangerine Pie, from a Florida citrus cookbook

Tangerine Pie

• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Dash of salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons finely shredded Florida tangerine peel (set aside)
• 1-3/4 cups Florida tangerine juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 4 beaten egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 8-ounce container frozen fat-free, light or regular whipped dessert topping, thawed
• More finely shredded Florida tangerine peel or tangerine sections
• Chocolate leaves (optional)

For pie shell, let egg whites stand in a large mixing bowl at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add cream of tartar and the dash of salt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl).

Add one cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until very stiff peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar is almost dissolved.

Spread mixture over the bottom and up the sides of a very well buttered 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. Turn off oven. Let shell dry in oven, with door closed, for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, for filling, in a medium saucepan combine cornstarch, the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add tangerine juice and lime juice. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

Gradually stir hot mixture into beaten egg yolks; return to saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in the 11/2 teaspoons tangerine peel and the butter. Transfer to a bowl; cover and cool 1 hour.

Fold 1/4 container whipped topping into the thickened mixture. Spoon into prepared pie shell. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

To serve, garnish with more whipped topping. If desired, trim with tangerine peel or sections and chocolate leaves. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving: 249 calories, 4 gm fat, 0 gm fiber, 101 mg sodium.

From: Dona Steinbach of Yankeetown

Recipe: Citrus Chiffon Pie

Citrus Chiffon Pie

• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup lemon and orange juice (equal parts)
• Dash of salt
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 stiffly beaten egg whites
• 1 9-inch baked pastry shell
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Soften gelatin in cold water. Combine 1/3 cup sugar and fruit juices. Add salt to egg yolks and beat until thick and lemon-colored. Add fruit juice mixture; beat well. Cook over hot water until mixture coats spoon, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel and 1/2 teaspoon orange peel. Chill until partially set.

Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar to egg whites, beating until stiff. Fold into cooled custard and pour into cooled pastry shell. Chill until set.

Spread with whipped cream; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon grated orange peel. Makes one 9-inch pie.

Note: Be aware that the egg whites are not cooked.

For: Arlene Siems of St. Petersburg

From: Nancy Eggert of Dunedin

Recipe: Quaker's Best Oatmeal Cookies, adapted by Nancy

Quaker's Best Oatmeal Cookies

• 1-1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened (no substitutes) (2-1/2 sticks)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)

Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Stir in oats; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes for a chewy cookie or 10 to 11 minutes for a crispy cookie. Cool 1 to 2 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.

Store tightly covered. Makes about 3 dozen.

Each cookie: 130 calories, 7 gm fat, 110 mg sodium, less than 1 gm fiber.

VARIATIONS:

• Oatmeal raisin cookies: Stir 1 cup raisins into dough. Makes about 4 dozen.
• Oatmeal chippers: Omit spices and stir 1 cup chocolate, butterscotch or peanut butter flavor chips into dough. Makes about 4 dozen.
• Cookie pops: Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls about 4 inches apart onto cookie sheets. Insert wooden stick into side of dough. Using bottom of glass dipped in sugar, flatten to 2-1/2-inch diameter. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Frost and decorate cooled cookies as desired. About 2 dozen.
• Confetti bars: Omit spices and stir 2 cups candy-coated chocolate pieces into dough. Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely; cut into bars. Store tightly covered. About 2 dozen.

Recipe requests

Gerry Hoag of Palm Harbor misses the fig squares that she enjoyed in the Boston area and hopes that fellow former Bostonians might have the recipe to share.

Caramel pie was a dessert the mother of Margaret Ramsay, Tarpon Springs, used to make.

Margaret writes that the filling of this Pennsylvania Dutch pie was cooked on top of the stove and that the ingredients included egg and brown sugar. No butterscotch, caramel candies or syrup was used.

Margaret would dearly love to be able to prepare this pie from her youth.

Evelyn Wojtas of Sun City Center used to have a nice collection of recipes for homemade liqueurs. They have been lost, and Evelyn would especially like to have the recipe for coffee liqueur.

- You Asked for It is a reader mail column. If you have a cooking question or the answer to someone else's question, write to: You Asked for It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number with your letter. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.

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