Raisin Pie Filling

Recipe No. 410 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Pies. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Raisins — 12 pounds (9 No. 56 dippers)
• Sugar, brown — 2½ pounds (2½ mess kit cups)
• Sugar, granulated — 2½ pounds (1¼ No. 56 dippers)
• Water, boiling — 2 gallons (8 No. 56 dippers)
• Salt — 1 ounce (2 mess kit spoons)

Cornstarch — 4 ounces (¼ mess kit cup)

• Water (for cornstarch) — 1 quart (1 No. 56 dipper)
• Butter — 4 ounces (8 mess kit spoons)
• Lemon juice — 1 ounce (2 mess kit spoons)
• Cinnamon — ½ ounce (2 mess kit spoons)

Directions

Key ingredients

Cinnamon · Cornstarch

1. Combine raisins, brown sugar, granulated sugar, water, and salt. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer until raisins are tender.
2. Mix cornstarch and water; stir until smooth. Add slowly to hot raisin mixture. Heat to boiling point; boil 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
3. Add butter, lemon juice, and cinnamon; mix well. Cool before placing in unbaked pie shells.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Raisins — 15⅓ oz Sugar, brown — 3¼ oz Sugar, granulated — 3¼ oz Water, boiling — 2½ cups Salt — about ½ tsp Cornstarch — about 2 tsp Water (for cornstarch) — 5 tbsp Butter — about 2 tsp Lemon juice — about ½ tsp Cinnamon — a pinch

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 410, Pies. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.