Make it Yourself... Chiffon and Parfait Pies

Two different types of Parfait and Chiffon Pies. One with ice cream and one with egg whites. Both are excellent and a change from fruit and custard pies. They were popular when Sue and I were young housewives. I made them often for entertaining.

Pineapple Parfait Pie

 Parfait Pies -The Better Homes and Gardens Golden Treasury cookbook has this to say about Parfait pies. "A trendsetter of the 50’s they originated in the US as a promotion by a flour miller and a manufacturer of fruit flavored gelatins". Single crust concoctions with fruit, gelatin, and ice cream filling, these pies were very popular because they were so easy to make and there were so many combinations of fruit, ice cream and gelatins to try”.

The term Parfait means perfect. So fitting for this type of pie.

  Use a good ice cream when making this. It is the main ingredient so you want it to be a good quality. The cheaper ice creams have a lot of air whipped into them, and will not work as well. How about trying raspberries, vanilla ice cream and raspberry jello or Orange jello, orange juice for the liquid, vanilla ice cream and adding some flaked coconut. Use your own favorite flavors just use the same quantities.

 Pineapple Parfait Pie

1 8 -¼ can crushed pineapple

1 3 ounce package lemon flavored gelatin

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1 baked 8 inch pie shell

Whipped cream

  Drain pineapple; reserve syrup. Add water to syrup to make 1 ¼ cups. Combine gelatin and syrup; bring to boiling. Stir till gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add ice cream by spoonfuls to hot liquid; stir till melted. Chill till partially set; fold in pineapple. Pile filling into pastry shell. Chill till firm. Garnish with whipped cream and cherry if desired.

 Chiffon Type Pies were quite popular in the 40’s. This recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Golden Treasury of Cooking is that type of pie. I made these often when I was first married and we entertained a lot. Now days, I still make them, but just not as often.

  They call for egg whites beaten stiff and folded in.
Citrus Pie

½ cup sugar

Citrus Pie

1 teaspoon (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin

Dash salt

4 egg yolks

½ teaspoon grated lemon peel, set aside

⅓ cup lemon juice (I used Meyer Lemons)

½ teaspoon grated orange peel, set aside

3 Tablespoons orange juice

2 Tablespoons water

4 egg whites

¼ cup sugar

1 baked and cooled 8 to 9 inch pie crust

In saucepan combine the ½ cup sugar, gelatin, and salt. Beat egg yolks, lemon and orange juice and water together. Stir into gelatin mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat just until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add saved grated peel.

Cool, stirring occasionally until partially set. 

 Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, slowly add the ¼ cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in gelatin mixture. It helps to lighten the egg whites with a small amount of the gelatin mixture before folding all of it in.

  Put into pie shell and chill till firm. Trim with shredded orange peel if desired.