Malt Shop Pie

A few weeks ago I was in Lakeland, FL to meet with Nina Horn from the Junior League of Lakeland. I first met Nina during the national Junior League conference in Orlando, FL and we had agreed to pursue the subject of developing a new cookbook for the League in Lakeland. About a month or so following the conference We met at a Panera Bread store in Lakeland.

Now, I go back 15-20 years earlier when I had been reading a cookbook titled Palm Country Cuisine from the Junior League of Lakeland.  I have never been a huge dessert fan, but while skimming that book I noticed a Malt Shop Pie recipe. When I was a teen in Mayfield, KY during the 1960's, a local restaurant, Hill's BBQ, served a small cup of frozen malt for 15 cents a cup.  My buddies and I would regularly ride our bikes there during the hot summer afternoons to get a "maltie," as they were called, to refresh and cool down after playing baseball.  Although this recipe was not the exact duplicate, it took me back in time and I asked my wife to make it.

She agreed even though it is not the "lightest" recipe on the planet; needless to say, I loved it and we had it often in the summer seasons.  For some reason we haven't had one in some time and I forgot about it.  When Nina walked into our meeting she had in her hand a copy of Palm Country Cuisine.  Immediately I said, we have to turn to page 251 for one of the best recipes ever--it is a malt pie recipe and it is awesome.  We did, and there it was.

Isn't it funny what sticks in one's mind?  I can assure you that if the Junior League of Lakeland decides to develop a new cookbook I will suggest strongly that they include the Malt Shop Pie recipe. Here it is:

Malt Shop Pie

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

½ cup malted milk balls, crushed

2 tablespoons milk

1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust

3 tablespoons instant chocolate-flavored malted milk powder

3 tablespoons marshmallow topping

1 cup of heavy cream

Crushed malted milk balls for topping

            Blend softened ice cream, malted milk balls, and 1 tablespoon of milk.  Spread in graham cracker crust and freeze. Combine malted milk powder, marshmallow topping, and 1 tablespoon of milk.  Add cream and beat until soft peaks form.  Spread over ice cream layer.  Freeze until firm.  Sprinkle with crushed malted milk balls.

Yield:  8 servings