Milnot Pumpkin Pie

 What do you do if you have 5 cans of Milnot in your cupboard? First you make a Milnot cheesecake. Then, to spice things up, you should try this under-the-label recipe for "Classic Pumpkin Pie with Maple Whipped Cream and Walnuts."

This is pie is not dense or too sweet, and the Milnot and eggs help the pie set up like a custard. The mixture is liquid at first, but just be patient. In my oven, it took 10-15 minutes longer than the recipe called for, but it came together nicely.

The recipe calls for a whipped cream layer on top of the pie, but we just added the whip in dallops. Next time I'll try it layered on.

My mom liked it better than any other pumpkin pie she's had!

Milnot Pumpkin Pie with Maple Whipped Cream

~Print Recipe~

• 1 unbaked deep-dish pie crust shell (Trader Joe's brand was really good.)
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 16 oz. can pumpkin
• 1 12 oz can Milnot (evaporated filled milk)
• 1/2 pint whipped cream
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Combine sugar, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. 
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs lightly and blend in pumpkin, spice mixture and Milnot.
3. Pour into pie shell and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake 25-35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool.
4. Beat cream and syrup in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Spread cream over pie and sprinkle with nuts.

Milnot Cheesecake: The Special Family Recipe

So here's the thing: this is a cheesecake, but it is no ordinary cheese cake. I want you to imagine a heavy, dense New York style cheesecake, the kind that sits like paste on your tongue. Now, I want you to forget everything you know about that cheesecake. Instead imagine a cheesecake unlike anything you've ever had---imagine a thick, buttery graham cracker crust topped with the fluffiest, lightest cheesecake ever. Imagine eating sweet, rich clouds of cheesecake---lemony, sun-drenched clouds. Now you are beginning to understand Milnot cheesecake.

So, what exactly is Milnot? Good question. I realized, as I was making this cake for the first time on my own, that I had absolutely no idea what Milnot was. As a child, all I knew is that it was very special and it tasted delicious in this cake. And that's really all you need to know. (For those of you who are curious, I did a little research. Milnot is evaporated milk with the animal fat removed and replaced with vegetable oil. Originally this shelf-stable "filled milk" was useful--and inexpensive to produce--before there refrigeration became widely available.)  The really interesting thing about Milnot, though, is that it whips up like whipping cream when you beat it with an electric mixer.

Whipped Milnot is the key ingredient in this fluffy-soft cake. The only problem is that Milnot is hard to find. (That is why this cake is so special!) The Milnot Company, which produces this canned miracle milk, is based in Ohio and is now owned by Smuckers. For some reason, Milnot is not widely available on the West Coast. When I was growing up, my mom resorted to having relatives from Chicago and Ohio import as many cans of Milnot as they were willing to carry.

I randomly found cans--two for a dollar!--at a Grocery Outlet near my house, so I snapped them up to make this cake. If you come across some Milnot, I suggest you do the same. (You can also order it online!) Your idea of cheesecake will change forever.

No Bake Milnot Lemon Cheesecake

~Print Recipe~

• 1 small package of lemon Jell-o
• 1 cup boiling water
• 16 oz. of cream cheese (2 packages)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 12 oz. can Milnot, chilled
• 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter

1. Dissolve Jell-o in boiling water and chill in the refrigerator until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cream the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Melt butter and stir into graham cracker crumbs, mixing until completely combined. Press crumbs into an 13x9 inch baking pan. Set aside.
4. Beat the chilled Jell-o into the cream cheese mixture until completely combined and smooth.
5. In a large bowl, whip the chilled Milnot until it forms soft peaks. Fold the whipped Milnot into the cream cheese mixture.
6. Pour Milnot filling evenly onto the graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for 8 hours.

*Note- Serve this cake cold. Top with more graham cracker crumbs and fresh fruit.