Butterscotch Silk Pie

Prep 60 min
Total 4 hr 40 min
Servings 8

If you can wield a whisk and a mixer, you can make this meringue! The kitchen-tested, step-by-step instructions will see you through, while a couple of smart shortcuts guarantee the three-ingredient butterscotch filling turns out silky smooth and richly flavored. As for the crust, the buttery, flaky refrigerated Pillsbury™ kind has yet to disappoint us—though there’s no reason you couldn’t substitute your own scratch crust, if you wish. So don’t pass on this recipe because of its impressive look, it’s nothing you can’t handle, and we think you’ll find it pretty rewarding—especially once you bite into it.

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated September 17, 2019

Ingredients

Crust

1

Pillsbury™ refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box

Filling

2 3/4

cups milk
1

box (4.6 oz) Jell-O® Cook & Serve vanilla pudding & pie filling mix (not instant)
1

cup butterscotch chips

Topping

4

egg whites, room temperature
1/2

cup sugar
1/4

teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2

teaspoon vanilla

Steps

Hide Images

1

Heat oven to 450°F. Make and bake pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell in ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Cool on cooling rack, about 20 minutes.
2

In 4-quart saucepan, cook milk and pudding mix over medium heat 10 to 14 minutes or until mixture comes to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butterscotch chips; stir until melted and smooth. Let stand 5 minutes.
3

Pour pudding mixture on top of cooled baked pie shell. Cover filling with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours until set.
4

When ready to serve, heat oven to 450°F. In medium glass or metal bowl, stir egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water; stir occasionally with whisk 14 to 18 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Pour into large bowl; beat with electric mixer on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until stiff glossy peaks form. Remove plastic wrap from filling. Use small icing spatula to swirl meringue over top of chilled pie. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until meringue peaks start to turn golden brown. Cool on cooling rack 20 minutes.
5

Cut into wedges to serve. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

The real trick to making perfect meringue is avoiding any yolk in your egg whites. To prevent this, crack eggs, one at a time, and place each white into a custard cup so you can check it’s yolk-free before transferring to your bowl.
Before cutting into pie, dip knife into water, and do not dry off. This helps prevent meringue from sticking to the knife.
The Pillsbury™ pie crust makes this pie extra quick to bake. Just remember to follow package directions for a one-crust baked shell, which includes pricking the bottom and side of the crust with a fork before baking.
If you prefer homemade pie crust, Betty’s Pastry for Pies and Tarts is kitchen-tested to perfection. Follow the steps to make a baked crust for this recipe.
The meringue in this recipe is cooked to a temperature of 160°F for food safety reasons. Taking this step means you only need a couple minutes in the oven to give your meringue a beautiful toasty brown color.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 380
Calories from Fat: 130

% Daily Value

Total Fat: 14g; 21%
Saturated Fat 9g 44% Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol: 10mg; 4%
Sodium: 310mg; 13%
Potassium: 180mg; 5%
Total Carbohydrate: 56g; 19%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 42g
Protein: 6g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 4%; 4%
Vitamin C: 0%; 0%
Calcium: 10%; 10%
Iron: 4%; 4%

Exchanges:

2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 2 1/2 Fat;