chess pie
Sugary Southern tart
Chess pie is a Southern American dessert with a filling of eggs, sugar, butter, and a small amount of flour or cornmeal, baked in a single crust.
The filling sets into a dense, sweet custard with a slightly caramelized top.
Variations include lemon chess pie and chocolate chess pie.
The origin of the name is uncertain—folk explanations abound but none are definitive.
Crystalline carbohydrate sweetener
- brown sugarMolasses-flavored granulated sweetener
- molassesSyrup from cane processing
- vanillaOrchid pod extract
- caramelCooked sugar confection
syrup · honey · maple · butterscotch · confection · dessert · indulgent · saccharine
Cooked egg-milk mixture
- eggsReproductive cells in shells
- fillingMaterial placed within
- silkySmooth and lustrous
- smoothWithout roughness or difficulty
rich · set · cream · vanilla · baked · pudding · buttermilk · gooey
Bluegrass State
- TennesseeSixteenth state admitted
- VirginiaMid-Atlantic American state
- soul foodTraditional Black Southern cuisine
- potluckCommunal meal, shared contributions
church supper · cornmeal · biscuits · sorghum · black-eyed peas · sweet tea · porch · hospitality
Hard outer layer
- flourMilled grain powder
- butterSolid fat from cream
- doughFlour-liquid mixture for baking
- shortcrustCrumbly, buttery pastry dough
flaky · rolling pin · prebaked · crimped · lattice · homemade · golden · edges
Custom passed through generations
- family recipeAncestral cooking instructions
- heirloomInherited family treasure
- legacyWhat's passed down
- grandmotherMother of a parent
nostalgia · homestead · memories · old-fashioned · vintage · Appalachian · colonial · antebellum
Prepared at one's residence
- warmingIncreasing in temperature
- cozyWarm and snug
- satisfyingProducing fulfillment or pleasure
- nourishingPromoting health through food
hearty · indulgence · homestyle · simple · unpretentious · humble · familiar · rustic
sugar
Crystalline carbohydrate sweetener
- brown sugarMolasses-flavored granulated sweetener
- molassesSyrup from cane processing
- vanillaOrchid pod extract
caramel · syrup · honey · maple · butterscotch · confection · dessert · indulgent · saccharine · treacly
custard
Cooked egg-milk mixture
smooth · rich · set · cream · vanilla · baked · pudding · buttermilk · gooey · dense
Kentucky
Bluegrass State
- TennesseeSixteenth state admitted
- VirginiaMid-Atlantic American state
- soul foodTraditional Black Southern cuisine
potluck · church supper · cornmeal · biscuits · sorghum · black-eyed peas · sweet tea · porch · hospitality
crust
Hard outer layer
shortcrust · flaky · rolling pin · prebaked · crimped · lattice · homemade · golden · edges
tradition
Custom passed through generations
- family recipeAncestral cooking instructions
- heirloomInherited family treasure
- legacyWhat's passed down
grandmother · nostalgia · homestead · memories · old-fashioned · vintage · Appalachian · colonial · antebellum · preservation
homemade
Prepared at one's residence
- warmingIncreasing in temperature
- cozyWarm and snug
- satisfyingProducing fulfillment or pleasure
nourishing · hearty · indulgence · homestyle · simple · unpretentious · humble · familiar · rustic · down-home
- American Dessertsbrownie, brownies, cheesecake, chocolate chip cookie, chocolate chip cookies
- piesquiche, tourtiere, single crust, lemon meringue
- Southern Foodfried chicken, collards, biscuits, grits, cornbread
- Southern Dessertspeach cobbler, banana pudding, red velvet cake, pralines, hummingbird cake
- cream dessertscustard pudding, vanilla custard, chocolate custard, banana custard, pumpkin custard
- fall dessertsapple crisp, apple cobbler, caramel apples, candy apples, apple cider donuts
chess piecroquembouche
Caramel-glazed pastry cone
baked Alaska · mille-feuille · opera cake · French patisserie · wedding cake