Japanese Fruit Pie
Submitted by suzq
Japanese Fruit Pie is a Southern American chess-style pie filled with dates, coconut, and nuts in a sweet egg custard. Mix, pour, bake. Despite the name, it’s pure Southern comfort.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
45 minREADY
55 minThe name is a mystery but the recipe is pure Southern. Japanese Fruit Pie is a close cousin of chess pie: a custard base of beaten eggs, sugar, and melted margarine with a splash of vinegar for balance, loaded with chopped dates, coconut, and nuts.
Poured into an unbaked shell and baked until set and golden brown on top, the filling firms into something chewy at the edges and soft in the center. The dates give it caramel depth, the coconut adds chew, and the nuts keep it from being cloying.
One bowl. No mixer needed. The kind of pie that shows up at church potlucks and disappears first.
Kitchen Tips
- Let the melted margarine cool before mixing it with the eggs, otherwise you risk scrambling them.
- The small amount of vinegar is what gives this pie its chess-pie character. Don’t skip it.
- Bake until the top is deep golden and the center is just set. A slight jiggle in the very center is fine; it firms as it cools.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine margarine, sugar, eggs, vinegar and vanilla in bowl.
Mix well.
Stir in dates, coconut and nuts.
Pour into pie shell. Bake in 300 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until brown.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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