Shoofly Pie for Coffee Parties

This famous Pennsylvania Dutch molasses pie, sometimes called a molasses cake, has many variations, but there are three important versions. One is dry—gingerbread baked in a pastry shell. It’s favored for dunking in coffee. Number two is put together in the pastry with alternate layers of crumbs and a molasses mixture. The third, and the charm, at least for most gourmets, is the pie with what Pennsylvania Dutch cooks call “a moist zone.” We give you our recipe for the third type.

Important points to heed in baking this historical pie are (1) use level measurement of shortening, not butter, to avoid a soggy crust, and (2) work fast once you combine the baking soda and hot water so you won’t lose the leavening properties before the pie reaches the oven.