Recipe
1930s Water Pie
The Depression dessert that sets a creamy custard from water, sugar, flour, and a little butter in a pastry shell.
Context
When milk and eggs were short, bakers still put dessert on the table.
Water pie (sometimes called desperation pie) relies on flour and sugar thickening hot water under a butter-and-vanilla finish. It will not taste like cream pie, but it sets into a sweet, simple slice that made sense in hard times. Use a store-bought or homemade single crust.
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
- 1½ cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp butter, cut in bits
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place crust in a pie plate; flute the edge.
- In a bowl, whisk sugar, flour, and salt. Sprinkle evenly over the empty crust.
- Pour water over the sugar mixture. Dot with butter; add vanilla and nutmeg on top. Do not stir vigorously.
- Bake 30 minutes at 400°F, then reduce to 350°F (175°C) and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until the center is mostly set.
- Cool completely so the filling firms before slicing.