Ma's Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pie

A trip to Grandma's house was always a blessing. She made great food that left me wanting more. Ma's Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pie was and still is my favorite. Made just like the way she used to make it, this pie recipe has become my kids' favorite too.

Ingredients

1 9 inch baked pie shell
3 egg yolks
3 ounces unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons unsifted all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cup whole milk
1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Put the butter into a 10" - 12" frying pan. Melt over moderate heat, and allow to brown slightly.
Add the brown, sugar, stir to mix, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. After bubbles form all over the surface, continue boiling for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the boiling water VERY gradually to the brown sugar mixture, whisking it in well. Be careful, the mixture will boil up furiously and give off lots of steam. If there are any lumps left, stir over moderate heat until they're dissolved. Remove mixture from heat.
Sift together flour, cornstarch, and salt into a fairly large saucepan. Gradually stir in the milk. If there are lumps, press on them with a rubber spatula to dissolve. When the mixture is smooth, stir in the brown sugar mixture.
Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Beat egg yolks lightly in a bowl and add a few spoonfuls of the pudding mixture. Beat in a few more spoonfuls, then pour the rest of the yolk mixture into the pudding mixture and stir well.
Place over low heat and cook, stirring, until it comes to a low boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla.
Pour into a mixing bowl, then stir occasionally and gently till cool. Don't overdo the stirring or you'll thin the mixture.
When cool pour into pie shell and chill well. Mix 1 cup whipping cream, 2 Tb. sugar, or powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract. Whip cream till it holds a firm shape. Top pie with cream.