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 Posted By: ChileFarmer 
Jun 30  # 6 of 16
I haven't tried the spotted dick yet. Pretty busy with the crops and the food business. And the yard work needs to be done, just watering is almost a full time job. It is super dry here and hot.
I will be keen to hear what Ian has to say about the custard. CF:)
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 Posted By: Katiecooks 
Jun 30  # 7 of 16
Hello ChileFarmer, I looked at both the Butterscotch and Chocolate Meringue Pie recipes on this forum and I notice one thing missing obviously from the Butterscotch pie. No cornstarch at all listed in the ingredient list. Hence, it's no wonder it didn't thicken the way you'd hoped. Custard-style pies should have at minimum a quarter of a cup of cornstarch in the filling to make it hold together. This according to our Master Pastry Chef at school. I would imagine that the lady who submitted the recipe on the forum for the Butterscotch Pie had a good reason for not including cornstarch in her recipe, a reason I know nothing about, but I know that's always the problem with my Mum's custards...she doesn't put enough cornstarch in them and they run like mad. As well, the cornstarch should be dissolved into the liquid you're using before the addition of egg yolks and let to sit aside briefly prior to incorporation with the remaining ingredients. For a good custard with rewarding thickness, heat should be slow and steady, never past 185 to 190 degrees, otherwise you're going to curdle the egg yolks and essentially have scrambled eggs. Cornstarch molecules in a custard are very large and therefore come between unwound egg proteins during cooking, in effect blocking, at least temporarily, their attempts to bond. Custards with cornstarch can, therefore, be heated well above 180 degrees without any curdling and can be heated hotter and, if necessary, longer to attain desired thickening. I just reread what I said and it sounds confusing so in the morning I'll take this to the Pastry Chef and get something a bit more clear from him. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Ian M.
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 Posted By: Katiecooks 
Jun 30  # 8 of 16
CF - I double-checked some of my custard and pudding recipes that have failed me from time to time and sure enough, they all had that commonality of not containing nearly as much cornstarch as those that were successful. Possibly that is the secret, who knew?
When I make good old-fashioned chocolate pudding for a dessert here I almost always have a good thickness using my grandmother's old recipe (that includes that old devil, cornstarch) but then again, puddings and custards in a pudding dish needn't be as "hold-togetherish" (a technical term!) as what goes into a custard pie. Katie
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 Posted By: ChileFarmer 
Jul 1  # 9 of 16
The recipe that Mama posted was from a 1930 cookbook. I was looking for an old fashion butterscotch recipe, maybe they didn't use cornstarch back then. I don't remember us ever having any. Then again, if we had to buy it we didn't have it. Money was tight,but we always had plenty to eat. Damn, I miss those days. Life was so much simpler. CF:)
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 Posted By: ChileFarmer 
Jul 1  # 10 of 16
Thanks Ian, the information was helpful. corn starch or even flour may be the answer. Maybe not flour unless it was added early on in the cook. CF:)