Mom Blakeman’s Chess Pie
Today’s recipe comes with a bit of mystery. I came across the “Mom Blakeman’s Chess Pie” recipe in my Granny’s box, and immediately thought of the local Kentucky candy company, Mom Blakeman’s. Imagine that. I don’t know what would have ever linked those two. [Insert sarcasm here]. Mom Blakeman’s candy is a regional favorite. They are famous for their “Pull Candy”, which is super sweet and melts in your mouth. The company dates back to 1961, and Mom Blakeman was the matriarch in this legacy.
Mom Blakeman, photo from http://www.momblakemanscandy.com
Now I don’t have evidence that this recipe has anything to do with the famous “Mom Blakeman”. It could be completely coincidental. Now, let’s add even another layer of complication to this recipe…
I always do some research on Granny’s recipes that I am unfamiliar with. Sometimes I like to compare her recipes to others, but mostly because she was infamous for just writing down ingredients with no real instructions…hence the blog you are currently reading, pictures and all. I’m sure she knew exactly what to do, but now that she has Alzheimer’s, those intricate details are lost for the most part. She does surprise me at times, though! Ok, I digress. My family is always excited to try my featured blog recipe, and when I told them that I was featuring the “Mom Blakeman’s Chess Pie”, my oldest son announced, ” I ate that at Claudia Sanders restaurant on my birthday and it was REALLY good!” Ok, I hadn’t connected “Mom” with the Claudia Sanders Dinner House (Sanders, as in Colonel Sanders…as in KFC fried chicken…)? When I searched the recipe by name, however, the only link for the pie was on the Claudia Sanders menu. So it wasn’t just Chess Pie on the menu, as I had suspected, it was “Mom Blakeman’s Chess Pie”. Of course Alex was correct. He always is. I say he has “elephant memory” all the time. Dang, I wish I could catch him wrong…just once! Here is an excerpt from the menu:
—————————————————
Homemade Desserts
Claudia’s Kentucky Pie “The Best” $2.95
Made with chocolate chips and pecans
Mom Blakeman’s Chess Pie (Custard Like) $2.95
Homemade Cobblers $2.25
Blackberry, Cherry or Peach
Apple Pie w/hot butter rum sauce $2.95
Claudia’s Sundaes $2.25
Chocolate, Butterscotch or Strawberry
Ice Cream $ 1.25 per scoop
Vanilla or Orange Sherbet
Menu http://www.claudiasanders.com
So now, I’m really confused.
Well, I just had to do some more investigating. I called Matt’s grandmother to ask her about the pie, since her favorite restaurant is Claudia Sanders. She informed me that it was probably in the Claudia Sanders cook book. My mother-in-law e-mailed me the recipe, but it was labeled “Chess Pie”. No “Mom Blakeman” in sight. It was also a different recipe than Granny’s. Who knows? I am going with Granny’s version, so let’s see how it goes!
“Mom Blakeman’s Chess Pie” from Granny’s recipe box
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup Carnation Milk
1/2 stick butter (at room temperature)
4 egg yolks
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 unbaked pie shell
Put your butter out at room temperature several hours before, or overnight. It makes the next step much easier. Cream the butter and sugar well with spices. I use my mixer with the paddle attachment, but you could easily use a hand mixer, or even a spoon for that matter. Add the egg yolks one at a time, making sure you scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add the Carnation Milk and mix well.
Bake in an uncooked crust at 350 degrees until filling is like soft jello.
Now I am personally not a huge meringue fan, but the recipe calls for one, so feel free to add that if you wish! It smells a lot like pumpkin pie, just no pumpkin. The pie came out super sweet and rich, so don’t cut it into huge pieces. Or go ahead, just have that glass of milk ready to go! Wait for the pie to cool before cutting, that is if you can!
When I get some more information on this pie mystery, I will let you know! Would the REAL “Mom Blakeman’s Chess Pe” please stand up? Until then, keep baking and let Sugarmamma know how things are going!
Sugarmamma 
I wanted to let you know that I also have a recipe for Mom Blakeman’s chess pie that it very similar to the one you have posted, my calls for heavy cream instead of Carnation milk. I really pretty sure the recipe I have came from “Mom” Blakeman herself, I am from the same small town in KY and my mother and her daughter were best friends. The original recipe makes 9 pies so my mother or someone has cut it down to two pies over the years. My mother and aunts have made this chess pie for years and it has always been my very favorite.
Thank you so much! I haven’t been able to blog for a while because of caring for my grandmother, but I’m hoping to get back this winter! I love hearing stories from other people!
I love the comments about the chess pie. It was one of my favorites. I am Mom Blakeman’s granddaughter & Grandmom did not have a daughter, just one son who was my dad & I was named for her. Grandmom used heavy cream.
Nicole,
I worked at a restaurant in Lancaster where they made this chess pie, and I ate a piece almost every time that I worked. Could you please email the recipe to me at sbarberhaile@gmail.com? I would love to make it as I crave it, even though I haven’t had a piece in over 28 years.
Thank you in advance,
Stephanie
P.S. My favorite candy in the entire world is no other than Mom Blakeman’s cream candy. I hope to get some when I visit Kentucky over the holidays.
Sorry, I forgot to add this to my previous reply. The connection with Claudia Sanders is that Grandmom & Col. Sanders were friends & he encouraged her to market her wonderful cream candy. She gave the recipe for her chess pie to serve in his restaurant as she served it when she had her restaurant on the corner of the center of Lancaster & also when she moved the restaurant to her house on Lexington Road. I do remember there were 2 distinct layers in the filling with the larger at the bottom & a thin layer about 1/4 to 1/2 inch at the top. I have her recipe somewhere. (Most of my things are still packed in boxes in storage since I moved after my husband passed away.)
I would love to have it if you can find it!
I will definitely look for it. Right now I have a lot of boxes plus Grandmom’s antiques that she left to me in 2 large storage bins. From what I remember, the heavy cream instead of evaporated milk is the main difference. I do remember the 2 distinct layers that formed when it was baked…..almost like there were 2 fillings.
This is the same Mom Blakeman that made the famous candy. She had her restaurant in Lancaster, Kentucky. That is where I’m from and ate there when I was young. My sister-in-law worked at the restaurant and I got the recipe for her “Mom Blakeman chess pie” back in the 1960s. This is the same recipe. So now you know.