Nana's Bavarian Cream Pie
by Megan Crawford
Chocolate Bavarian cream pie has been a Rowson holiday staple for generations. Of course, like most family recipes, I thought that the Bavarian cream pie was a proprietary Rowson family heirloom.
When I was 17, my mom gave me The Gourmet Cookbook, which has been shared among women in my family for decades. I opened the book and, lo and behold, there was a recipe for Bavarian cream pie— eerily similar to the Rowson recipe, but just different enough that our recipe was still its own. Despite us always calling it chocolate Bavarian cream, the chocolate is in the crust instead of the filling.
I remember years of this pie: birthdays, Christmases, anything that called for celebration. It’s my Nana’s favorite pie, and so she is the reigning Bavarian cream pie creator. Even this past Thanksgiving, she made an entire pie before being rushed to the hospital. A twisted intestine will not keep Sharon Rowson from pie, and it didn’t. Of course, despite making the pie, a two week stay in the hospital meant that she couldn’t enjoy what she made. So, this month’s heritage recipe is dedicated to my Nana, her sheer stubbornness, and her eternal love for Bavarian cream pie. If we could successfully airmail a pie, it would happen. The next time we’re together, we’ll make a pie.
Miraculously, my Nana is back home and quickly recovering. I’m not too surprised, though. There’s a particular strain of strong will in my family, and I’m almost certain it all comes directly from her.
* * *
As I previously mentioned, this pie’s been around: my great-great grandmother, my great grandmother, my Nana, my aunts, my mom, and myself (once, with my mom’s help, because I had heard too many stories about scalded milk and whipped cream that turned into butter). Throughout the years, the recipe has stayed exactly the same. A simple chocolate graham cracker crust, vanilla custard, and a helping of chocolate sprinkles (or chocolate shavings if you’re feeling fancy, but we’re definitely more of a sprinkle bunch).
Carrie, Mimi, Sharon (Nana), Don, Grandma Vick, & Vicky.
Sharon and her brother, Gary, circa 1940.
Ingredients
custard
1 envelope of gelatin (1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup of cold water
3 egg yolk, slightly beaten
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup of milk, scalded
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 cup of heavy cream, whipped
crust
1 1/4 cups crushed graham crackers
about 12 graham crackers)
1/3 cup of butter, melted
4-5 heaping tablespoons nestle quik
topping
Chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
For the crust, mix crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and nestle quik in a small bowl until blended. If the crust is too dry, add butter as needed.
Press the crust into a pie pan, set aside.
In a small bowl, soften gelatin in water.
In a saucepan, combine egg yolk, sugar, and salt. Slowly add scalded milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Heat until mixture coats a wooden spoon.
Remove from heat, then stir in gelatin.
Fill a large bowl or pan with ice and water. Set pan in ice water to cool.
Fold in egg whites, whipped cream, and vanilla.
Pour into pie crust and top with chocolate sprinkles.
Refrigerate for at least three hours.
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