a little of each

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 14 crisp ginger cookies
• 5 tablespoons melted butter

Basic Filling

• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons cold water
• l tablespoon gelatin
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• pinch of salt

For Chocolate Layer

• 2 squares melted chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For Rum-Flavored Layer

• 4 egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon rum

Topping

• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Grated chocolate

Instructions

For the Crust

Roll out the cookies fine. Mix with the melted butter. Line a nine-inch pie tin, sides and bottom, with the buttered crumbs, pressing flat and firm. Bake ten minutes in a slow oven to set.

For the Pie

Soak the gelatin in the cold water. Scald the milk; add one-half cup sugar mixed with the cornstarch, pinch of salt, then beaten egg yolks. Cook in double boiler, stirring constantly, until custard thickens and will coat the back of the spoon. Stir in the dissolved gelatin. Divide custard in half.

To one half add the melted chocolate and the vanilla. Turn while hot into the cooled crust, dipping out carefully so as not to disturb crust.

Let the remaining half of the custard cool. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, adding half of sugar slowly, Blend with the cooled custard. Add one tablespoon rum. Spread carefully over the chocolate layer. Place in ice box to chill thoroughly. It may even stand over-might. When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream stiff, adding two tablespoons confectioners’ sugar slowly. Pile over the top of the pie. Sprinkle with grated bitter or semi-sweet chocolate.