Thanksgiving Cream Pie

Adapted from the Lionhouse Recipes Cookbook

Servings: 6-8 (1-9" pie)

5 T. corn starch
I use 2 1/2 T. corn starch + 2 1/2 T. Thick-Gel (3 3/4 T. Ultra-Gel)
1 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 1/2 c. milk and 3/4 c. half-and-half
I use 2 3/4 c. milk + 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream; extra whipping cream is easier to use.
3 egg yolks (Reserve the whites for an omelet or such)
2 T. butter (Could use margarine, but it really needs the butter for best results.)
1 t. vanilla
1 baked 9" pie shell

1. Beat the egg yolks together in a small bowl with a fork until smooth, removing any lumps or white strings or fatty globules. Set aside.
2. Combine corn starch, Thick-Gel, salt, and sugar in a heavy, 3-quart pan and mix together well with a whisk. Add the milk and cream or half-and-half and set the pan on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixtures is thick and smooth.
3. Tempering the egg yolks: Spoon small amounts of the hot cream mixture by degrees into the egg yolks and and blend together thoroughly. This should gradually bring the eggs up to a heat close to the mixture without cooking them.
4. Add the egg mixture gradually back into the cream mixture and cook 2-3 minutes longer, until the mixture becomes very thick.
5. Remove the filling from the heat and add butter and vanilla, stirring until everything is mixed in.
6. Pour the filling into the pie shell and let the pie chill 3-4 hours before serving. Top with whipped cream.
   

Chocolate Cream: Stir in 1/2 c.-1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips with the butter and vanilla. (I like it dark and rich, so I go closer to 1 cup. For two pies I use pretty much a whole package of chocolate chips.)

Banana Cream: Give the hot filling a minute or two to cool after stirring in the butter and vanilla. Add bananas as desired; I usually add 3-4 bananas, cut into chunks. There's usually a little more than will fill the pie shell.

Tips:

• When separating the whites from the yolks, avoid as much as possible getting any white in with the yolks, as it may cook and cause little white lumps in the finished pie filling.
• The smoother the yolks are to begin with, the better chances your filling won't get lumps.
• It will take some time for the mixture to thicken; don't hurry it too much by turning up the heat or you're likely to burn the filling.
• This recipe really has to be stirred virtually constantly once it goes on the heat, but especially once it starts to thicken. Make sure everything is in place so you don't have to leave the stove while the cream mixture is thickening. Be sure to scrape the entire bottom of the pan regularly, so certain areas don't burn or lump.
  
• If there are lumps, a hand-blender may do a good deal to mix them in.