My great-great-aunt Frances was a stout, persnickety woman who had a soft spot for cakes, cookies and anything else with sugar as a key ingredient. Aunt Frances was especially known for her pies. She baked apple, lemon meringue and other buttery, flaky confections for our large family and the patrons at the little inn just down the road.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
A few years ago, on a Sunday in early winter, I got a call from Mama asking me if I wanted Aunt Frances’ recipe composition book. When I received the black and white speckled notebook, it was brimming with newspaper clippings, recipe cards and scribbled comments like “very good,” “not this” or “more sugar.” I marveled at how she had opinions on nearly everything. Not knowing exactly where to begin, I opted to tackle Aunt Frances’ Shoofly Pie, but with my own twist.
These easy bars hold Aunt Frances’ classic Pennsylvania Dutch Shoofly Pie filling, but with sorghum syrup rather than black strap molasses for a Southern update. They are lighter, yet still a bit gooey, and have a surprise pop of flavor from freshly ground black pepper. Sometimes, when the mood strikes me, I throw in chopped pecans. Maldon flake salt adds a nice salty crunch to every semi-sweet bite.
Chadwick Boyd is a frequent TV guest, judge on Hallmark Channel and cookbook author. Find more of his work at chadwickboydlifestyle.com.
Credit: Tom Eberhardt-Smith
Credit: Tom Eberhardt-Smith
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