I read "The Joy of Cooking" during my trip up north last week. I have discovered many recipes that I never heard of before and am trying them out now. I made this Black Bottom Pie (p.885) yesterday and shared it with my neighbor who looked after my place while I waas away. It is an excellent testing pie. I have included all the remarks from the book here. It's rather interesting as well. (I highly recommend this great book!)

Note: This pie contains "uncooked eggs". Handly eggs carefully, particularly when cooking for young children, the elderly, pregnant women, or anyone with a compromised immune system.
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Black Bottom Pie One 10-inch pie; 8- 10 servings

Marorie Kinnan Rawlings, in her classic 1942 cookbook, Cross Creek Cookery, proclaimed this pie "so delicate, so luscious, that I hope to be propped up on my dying bed and fed a generous portion. Then I think that I should refuse outright to die, for life would be too good to relinquish."

Prepare and bake in a 10-inch pie pan:
Crumb Crust, prefeerably made with ginger snap
(recipe see below)
Pour into a small cup:
1/4 cup wateer
Sprinkle over the top and let stand for 5 min:
1 12/ t. (3/4 envelope) unflavooured gelatin
Place in a small bowl:
6 oounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely choppeed, or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Whisk together thoroughly in a medium, heavy saucepan:
1/3 cup sugar
4 t. cornstarch
Gradually whisk in:
2 cup light cream, or 1 cup milk and 1 cup heavy cream
Vigorously whisk in until no yellow streaks remain:
4 large egg yolks
Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heat proof rubber spatula, bring the mixture to a simmer over med. heat and cook for 30 sec to dissolve the gelatin. Vigorously stir the chocolate mixture until smooth; if the chocolate fail to melt completely, set the bottom of the bowl in very hot water. Spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the bottom of the pie crust and refrigerate. Stir into the custard in the pie:
2 T. dark rum
2 t. vanilla
Beat on med. speed until foamly:
3 large egg whites
Add:
1/4 t. cream of tartar
Continue to beat until soft peak form, then gradually beat in:
1/3 cup plus 1 T. sugar
Increase the speed to high and beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the wgg whites into the custard mixture. Spoon the filling over the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 1 day. Shortly before serving, beat on med. speed until thickened:
1 cup cold heavy cream
Add:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
Beat until the peaks are stiff. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the pie. If you wish Sprinkle with:
1 ounce bittersweet ot semisweet chocolate, grated or shaved
Store refrigerated for up to 1 day.

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Crumb Crust One 10-inch pie crust

The proportion here are ample for a 10-inch pie pan or a 10- to 12-inch springform pan and very generous for a 9-inch pie pan or an 8- to 9-inch springform pan for the smaller size pan, you can reduce quantities to 1 1/4 cup crumbs, 5 T. butter and 3 T. sugar.
If you wish to bake the crust, preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease or oil a pie pan or springform pan.
Mix together with a fork or pulsse in a food processor until all the ingredients are moistened:
1 1/2 cups fine crumb made from graham crakers, chocolate ot vanilla wafers, or gingersnaps
6 T. (3/4 stick) melted butter, warm or cool
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 t. ground cinnamon (optional)
Spread the mixturee evenly in the pan. Using your fingertips or the flat bottom of a drinking glass, firmly press the mixture over the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a pie or over the bottom of a springform pan. Freeze for 20 min. or bake until the crust is lightly browned and firm to the touch, 10 - 15 min.
Let cool thoroughly if filling with a cookeed mixture, but use hot if filling with a mixture that requires baking.