Creature Comforts Pie

At this point, Frankenstein has become so ingrained in our popular consciousness that I think it’s difficult to read the novel without any kind of preconceived ideas. The green, flat-headed monster with bolts protruding from his neck has become such an iconic part of the horror canon (especially in cinema) that it’s sometimes difficult to reconcile pop culture with literary reality.

Spoiler-Free Summary:

Viktor Frankenstein is a medical student during the early days of human dissection. Young and ambitious, Frankenstein takes science’s new-found understanding of the human body to the next level by bringing a corpse back to life. He stoops to robbing graves and descends into the realms of moral reprehensibility in the name of science and discovery. Horrified with his ultimate creation, Frankenstein abandons the newborn creature and flees, falling sick with guilt and anxiety.

The creature – a hideous, seven-foot-tall man with long, greasy black hair – becomes quite articulate and thoughtful by listening at the window of a farmhouse, falling in love with the family that lives there. When they eventually discover and reject him, it sends him into a murderous spiral.

He demands that Frankenstein make him a female mate to love, accept, and understand him. When the scientist aborts the project, he swears revenge against the scientist. While Frankenstein worries he will die at the hands of his monster, he soon discovers the creature intends to make his creator suffer.

Notes from the Piebrary:

Mary Shelley very famously wrote Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus in her late teens. The story goes that during a summer in Geneva, a coterie of writers (Mary, her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron, among others) started a competition to see who could write the best horror story.

Shelley wrote Frankenstein, combining the frightening possibilities of emerging medicine and electricity with a previously unexplored Gothic setting: the human body. Forget haunted houses or creepy castles, with the birth of Frankenstein’s creature Shelley created the sub-genre of “body horror.”

The popular interpretation of Frankenstein is that it is a parable warning men never to play god. If you use science to transcend some divine natural order you will fail, spectacularly and violently. However, my preferred analysis comes (paraphrased) courtesy of my Gothic literature professor, Clive Bloom.

The truth of Frankenstein is that there is no God to prevent you from breaking the laws of nature or to protect you from your spectacular screw-ups.

Everything that goes wrong for Victor Frankenstein is due to his negligence, not divine providence. It is the irresponsibility of his execution and not the nature of the experiment itself that leads to his downfall. He spends a decent portion of the book sick and bedridden with guilt over the thing he’s created rather than seeking to stop its murderous rampage. Essentially: there is no God, so you might as well dig up some graves and do what you like. Woo, go scientific ambition!

Parsing this Pie:

For me, a lot of this pie was about aesthetics. I wanted this pie to be ugly but delicious, a bit like our misunderstood creature friend. I have always found it very easy to sympathize with the monster, both his insecurity and his anger. I think everyone can sympathize with the monster on some level because everyone has felt like a monster themselves at one time or another.

Of course, most people never go on homicidal rampages, but regardless, this pie is less well-argued and rooted more in my interpretation of the character. I wanted the maple and oat chess to have a sort of sweet and homey flavor (symbolic of the creature during his time observing the farmhouse and living in the forest), but I wanted the outside to be rough, crispy, and scarred.

Ingridnest

Crust

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup butter
• 4-6 tbs water

Filling

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2cup butter (melted)
• 3 eggs (beaten)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup of old-fashioned oats
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Garnish

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup dark chocolate

How to Make Creature Comforts Pie

1. Preheat the Oven: Turn on the oven and set it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Make the Crust:
   • Take the cold butter and cut it into small pieces.
   • Put the butter in a big bowl with the flour.
   • Use your hands to squish the butter and flour together until it looks like crumbs.
   • Slowly add a little bit of water at a time, mixing it in until the crumbs stick together and form a ball.
   • Press the dough into a 9-inch pie plate, making sure it covers the bottom.
3. Make the Filling:
   • In another big bowl, put the sugar, melted butter, beaten eggs, maple syrup, cider vinegar, and vanilla.
   • Mix everything together until it’s smooth.
   • Add the oats and stir them in.
   • Pour the filling into the crust that’s in the pie plate.
4. Bake the Pie:
   • Put the pie plate in the oven.
   • Bake it for about an hour until the top looks golden and crispy, and the filling is firm when you touch it.
5. Make the Chocolate Topping:
   • Put the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
   • Microwave it in short bursts until it’s all melted.
   • Stir the melted butter and chocolate together until it’s smooth.
6. Finish the Pie:
   • Let the pie cool down completely.
   • Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the pie.
   • Let it sit until the chocolate hardens.
7. Enjoy:
   • Once the pie is ready, you can enjoy it right away or keep it in the fridge for later. It’s perfect for when you need a little comfort!

Tips

• Make sure your butter is cold when making the crust.
• Let the pie cool completely before drizzling the chocolate on top.

How to Store?

To store the Creature Comforts Pie, simply cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator. This will keep it fresh for up to three days. When you’re ready to enjoy another slice, just take it out of the fridge, unwrap it, and dig in!

What to Serve with Creature Comforts Pie?

I love to Pair my Creature Comforts Pie with a hot cup of coffee or sometimes a cold glass of milk for the perfect combination and the best taste, but I think any drink can be good with it.

Faq

Can I make this pie ahead of time?

Yes, you can! Just store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

Can I freeze this pie?

Yes, you can freeze it for longer storage. Just make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing.

Can I use different types of chocolate for the drizzle?

Feel free to use milk chocolate or white chocolate if you prefer a different flavor.

If you like this kind of pie, make sure to try this Hobbit Pie.

Conclusion

Try this amazing Creature Comforts Pie. Whether you’re having a rough day or just want a tasty dessert to enjoy, this pie is perfect. Share the recipe with your loved ones and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for more delicious recipes.