Pineapple Sour Cream Pie

Pineapple sour cream pie is the kind of dessert that lived its glory days in 1960s church-supper cookbooks and deserves a comeback. The filling tastes nothing like the standard pineapple cream pies you know: sour cream gives it a tangy backbone that cuts through the canned pineapple’s sweetness, while a tablespoon of lemon juice keeps the whole thing from sliding into cloying. Egg yolks thicken the filling on the stovetop, and a glossy meringue caps it.

The key technique here is tempering. After the filling thickens on medium heat, you stream a half cup of the hot mixture into beaten yolks before returning everything to the pot. This raises the yolks’ temperature gradually, so they thicken the filling instead of scrambling into yellow specks. Cream of tartar in the meringue is what stabilizes the whites for tall, glossy peaks; skip it and the topping weeps the moment you cut into the pie.

Pro Tips

• Use undrained crushed pineapple as the recipe specifies. The juice is part of the liquid; without it the filling sets stiff and gluey.
• Spread the meringue all the way to the edge of the crust. Sealing it against the rim prevents weeping and shrinking.
• Beat the egg whites at room temperature. Cold whites take longer and rarely reach stiff peaks.
• Cool the pie at room temperature, not in the fridge. Cold meringue beads up moisture quickly.

Variations

• Use butter in place of margarine for a richer, more golden graham crust.
• Add a teaspoon of finely grated lime zest to the filling for a brighter tropical lift.
• Skip the meringue and top with whipped cream and toasted coconut for an easier finish.