PEPPERMINT FUDGE RIBBON PIE

Saturday night we hosted the Tasty Bunch. We enjoyed dinner at Stroud Restaurant and then came to our house for dessert. 

I had stressed all week as to what dessert I was going to make. I wanted something that would be kinda Christmassy, but wasn't liking anything I saw. I finally decided I would just make an apple cranberry pie. Until, Janice and I went out Friday to an estate sale and I saw this recipe (without a picture) called Peppermint Fudge Ribbon Pie. I couldn't get much more Christmassy than Peppermint Ice Cream. I didn't have any ice cream but that wasn't that big of a deal.

The pie is made in four layers that have to be frozen in between. That means to have it ready by 4:00 when my husband and I needed to leave to reserve a table for 5:00, I would need to start Friday night. I managed to get the first two layers done then and had the last two layers to do Saturday. The ladies really especially the time I had taken to make it. The men just really liked it. (So did the women, but they knew more that was involved.) 

There was actually even more time involved because when we all got back to our house, they watched me make the meringue and helped me finish up the broiling.

It does take some time, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. In addition to tasting great, it presents itself beautifully.

I guess I should say that I made two pies. It made it easy to halve the fudge sauce that way.  I just made a second recipe of it on Saturday when I repeated the fudge layer the second time. If you only make one pie as the recipe makes, I guess I would store the other half of the fudge sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator. 

PEPPERMINT FUDGE RIBBON PIE

1       quart peppermint ice cream
1       baked 9 - inch pastry shell  (I made a graham cracker crust.)

Fudge Sauce (recipe below)

3      egg whites
1/4   teaspoon cream of tartar
6      tablespoons sugar
1/2   teaspoon vanilla

Soften half of the ice cream (1 pint/2 cups). Spoon into pie shell, evenly and freeze until firm. (Remember I doubled the recipe and made two pies.)

Spread half of the Fudge Sauce over the ice cream layer; freeze until firm.

Repeat layers, freezing until firm.

Beat egg whites (at room temperature) and cream of tartar at high speed of an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Beat in vanilla.

Spread meringue over the pie. 

Broil 6 inches from heat 1 minute or until browned. (You might need to watch this. I experimented with the two pies. The first one got browner than I wanted it to, so I lowered the broil to low and reduced the time in half. It wasn't brown at all, so I let it go for the other 30 seconds. It wasn't as brown and the ladies thought it was perfect.)

Serve immediately. (Pie will still be frozen and you will need to use a sharp knife to cut it.)


Fudge Sauce

1        cup sugar
1        (5 - ounce) can evaporated milk
2       (1 - ounce squares) unsweetened chocolate
2       tablespoons butter or margarine
1        teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until

thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. 

Let cool to room temperature.