Recipe from Dick Taeuber
Adapted by Amanda Hesser
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration
- Rating
- 4(141)
- Notes
- Read community notes
In January 1970, The Times published a recipe for brandy Alexander pie. It was an unassuming confection: a graham-cracker crust filled with a wobbly, creamy mousse and enough alcohol to raise the hair on your neck and then make your neck wobbly too. Later that year, Craig Claiborne, then the food editor, declared it one of the paper’s three most-requested dessert recipes and ran it again. By rights, this should have been the recipe’s swan song.
But thanks to Dick Taeuber, a Maryland statistician, the pie lived on. Taeuber discovered that you could use a simple formula to make the pie in the flavor of almost any co*cktail you wanted (3 eggs to 1 cup cream to ½ cup liquor). In 1975, Claiborne renamed it Dick Taeuber’s cordial pie and published it once more, this time with all 20 variations (see note).
Calling it a cordial pie doesn’t quite capture its punch or proof. Booze pie would be more fitting. It’s not the kind of thing you want to serve for a children’s birthday party. —Amanda Hesser
Featured in: Recipe Redux; 1975: Dick Taeuber's Cordial Pie
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 1½cups graham-cracker crumbs
- ⅓cup melted butter
- 1envelope unflavored gelatin
- ⅔cup sugar
- teaspoon salt
- 3eggs, separated
- ¼cup Cognac
- ¼cup creme de cacao
- 1cup heavy cream
- Food coloring (optional)
- Chocolate curls, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
494 calories; 29 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 32 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 323 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the crumbs with butter. Form in a 9-inch pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool.
Step
2
Pour ½ cup cold water in a saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over it. Add ⅓ cup sugar, salt and egg yolks. Stir to blend. Place over low heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves and the mixture thickens. Do not boil. Remove from heat.
Step
3
Stir the Cognac and creme de cacao into the mixture. Then chill until the mixture starts to mound slightly when nudged with a spoon.
Step
4
Beat the egg whites until stiff, then add the remaining ⅓ cup sugar and beat until peaks are firm. Fold the meringue into the thickened mixture.
Step
5
Whip the cream, then fold into the mixture. Add food coloring if desired. Turn the mixture into the crust. Add garnish, if desired. Chill several hours or overnight.
Tip
- Cordial Pie VariationsThe Formula: co*cktail; liquor (equal parts, ½ cup total, unless noted otherwise); crust; garnish1. Brandy Alexander; Cognac, brown crème de cacao; graham cracker; chocolate curls2. Chocolate mint; white crème de cacao, brown crème de cacao; chocolate cookie; chocolate curls3. Grasshopper; white crème de menthe, green crème de menthe; chocolate cookie4. Eggnog; rum; gingersnap; nutmeg5. Banana mint; crème de banana, white crème de menthe; graham cracker6. Pink squirrel; crème de almond, white crème de cacao; graham cracker7. Brown velvet; triple sec, brown crème de cacao; chocolate cookie8. Irish coffee; Irish whisky (use double strength coffee in place of water); graham cracker9. Golden dream; Galliano, Cointreau (use 3/ 4 cup of orange juice in place of water, add 2 tablespoons grated orange peel); graham cracker; toasted coconut10. Midnight cowboy; chocolate mint, brandy; chocolate cookie11. Italian mousse; chocolate mint, vodka; chocolate cookie12. Fifth Avenue; apricot brandy, brown crème de cacao; chocolate cookie13. Raspberry Alexander; 3 ounces raspberry brandy, 1 ounce white crème de cacao; graham cracker14. Blackberry Alexander; 3 ounces blackberry brandy, 1 ounce white crème de cacao; graham cracker15. Banana chocolate cream; crème de banana, white crème de cacao; chocolate cookie16. George Washington; chocolate mint, cherry brandy; chocolate cookie17. Shady lady; coffee-flavored brandy, triple sec (use coffee in place of water); chocolate cookie18. Cheri Suisse; cherry Suisse (cherry chocolate); chocolate cookie19. Vandermint; Vandermint (chocolate mint); chocolate cookie20. Sabra; Sabra (orange chocolate); chocolate cookie
Ratings
4
out of 5
141
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Cooking Notes
Ron
Some other recipes call for using another cup of heavy cream along with 1tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla to make a whipped cream layer to put on top of the pie (and then garnish with the chocolate curls). This addition is much more effective in fighting carbohydrate and cholesterol deficiencies.
Elise
A warning to my fellow cooks not to let the mixture gel too much in step 3, or the meringue and whipped cream won't blend in well and the custard will have the texture of tapioca.
mmarpet
I first saw this recipe in 1970, made it, LOVED it, and lost the recipe. A few years back, thanks to the internet, I have it back. I've been making this again and again to take to parties and it has always been a hit. I have made it with graham cracker crust and Oreo-cookie crust. I give this recipe seven stars out of five.
nina
I have made its various version since it first appeared in NYT; always great. Its failsafe and a hit to boot.
jules
just made this. I only had white creme de cocoa so I upped the gelatin a smidge and added a small handful of semi sweet choco chips and a scape of vanilla bean. This worked out fine. As most Brandy Alexanders call for a grating of nutmeg on top I also added a splash of frangelica. Next time I intend to use higher end creme de cocoa as I would like a more creamy and heavier vanilla flavor.
susannah
I made this Brandy Alexander with a chocolate wafer crust in a springform pan and it was a big success! A a hefty flavor, indeed! I am so happy to find this recipe here online because I had not seen this recipe in years - except for a vintage Junior League of Alabama Cookbook from my mother’s book shelf. Thank you NYT for adding this to the Christmas dessert recommendations!!
Lucas
I'm a little confused with this recipe. What's the estimated chilling time for the booze egg yolk mixture? Assume it's only a few minutes if the whole recipe time is just 30 minutes.Also, the meringue is not cooked. It's just folded into cold ingredients. Isn't that risky food safety-wise?
Mary
I've made this twice now with creme de menthe and a chocolate crust. Delicious! But both times the filling is much more than what the photo shows. I've used a bought crust. Is this why? Anyone else have this issue?
Denise
Made original NYT recipe (my Mom still had the original from the magazine), which calls for 2 cups whipped cream -- an additional cup for a top layer. So good! Can't imagine it without!
spbjackson
Just made the eggnog version with bourbon, dusted the top with grated nutmeg. Excellent!
Bates
Be careful with heating the yolk/gelatin mixture. I ended up with some lumpy egg bits that I had to strain out.
Felice
I made this pie years ago, but not since because of concerns with using raw eggs. I found pasteurized egg whites (I'm assuming they will whip), but cannot find pasteurized eggs. Since the mixture with egg yolks is not boiled, any thoughts if the heat is enough to eliminate safety concerns?
LA
Any suggestions for vegetarians who don't cook with gelatin?
Julie
We tried the Irish Coffee version (had Irish whiskey in the house...) and it was amazing. Substituted chocolate syrup for creme de cocoa which took the booz down enough for the kids to eat it. Next time, full strength! I have my eye on trying the Golden Dream (cointreau!). A new permanent addition to my Thanksgiving line up.
Till
Has anyone tried this with full-on bourbon?
Tessa
Wonder what would happen if using Irish cream liqueur, which has cream in it already. Reduce the cream and increase the liqueur, perhaps?
Nancy
I've been making this pie, and other versions of it too...since 1970 when I found the recipe in the NYT. It may seem dated these days, but it still packs a punch...and so easy to make. I just love it!
Elise
A warning to my fellow cooks not to let the mixture gel too much in step 3, or the meringue and whipped cream won't blend in well and the custard will have the texture of tapioca.
cheryl
struggled in vain with the gelatin...did not set well...
mmarpet
I first saw this recipe in 1970, made it, LOVED it, and lost the recipe. A few years back, thanks to the internet, I have it back. I've been making this again and again to take to parties and it has always been a hit. I have made it with graham cracker crust and Oreo-cookie crust. I give this recipe seven stars out of five.
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