Plantation Eggnog Pie

by Febrina Picone Malloy

Won 3rd prize in a Knox gelatin contest, judged on economy, nutritional value, originality, and ease of preparation. Prize was a blender.

Ingredients:
1 envelope gelatin
1/4 cup cold milk
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar (divided use)
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup hot water
1/3 cup dry skim milk powder
2 egg whites (use pasteurized egg whites, or see substitutes below)
1 cup evaporated milk
1 TB dark rum, or rum flavoring to taste
nutmeg
1 9" pastry shell

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Prick bottom and sides of pastry shell with a fork and bake until light brown, about 8 minutes. Cool on a rack.
3. Soften gelatin in cold milk.
4. Mix egg yolks, corn syrup, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in heavy sauce pan. Add hot water gradually and then dry milk powder, stirring constantly. Stir or whisk over low heat until mixture coats a metal spoon. (Soft custard stage)
5. Remove from heat and stir in softened gelatin. Add evaporated milk and flavoring. Set in pan of ice water until it begins to thicken.
6. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until foamy throughout and gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into partially thickened gelatin mixture.
7. Pour into cold pastry shell. Sprinkle top with nutmeg and chill until firm.

To avoid using raw egg whites, there are three options:
1. Substitute 1 8 oz tub of Cool Whip Lite, thawed, instead of the beaten egg whites. (Do not use additional sugar.)
2. Use regular milk in place of the evaporated milk, add 1/4 cup sugar to the first mixture, and replace the egg whites with 1 cup heavy cream, whipped.
3. Replace the raw egg whites with 4 tsp powdered egg whites and 1/4 cup water, following the directions given above for raw egg whites.