Southern Shoofly Pie with Sorghum

Originally Shoofly pie began as a crust-less molasses cake called Centennial cake in 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. In the 1880s, home bakers added a crust to make it easier to eat alongside a cup of coffee in the morning, without plates and forks. Precursors include Jenny Lind cake, a gingerbread cake from the middle of the 19th century.

Ingredients:

• Single Piecrust dough or 1 store-bought crust.

Filling:

• ¾ cup sorghum syrup
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

Topping:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Dash salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Directions:

• Roll dough to fit a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°. For filling, mix brown sugar, molasses, sorghum syrup, egg, flour and baking soda. Gradually stir in boiling water and then cool.
• Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights. Bake on a lower oven rack 15 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights; brush crust with egg yolk. Bake 5 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven setting to 350°.
• In another bowl, whisk together first four topping ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add filling to crust; sprinkle with topping. Cover edge of pie with foil.
• Bake until filling is set and golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Cool. Serve.