Need help with butterscotch pie

[madpots]

My friend is having a birthday party for her husband. She said his mother used to make a butterscotch pie for him on his birthday and it was his favorite. She doesn't cook much and asked me to help.
The problem is that she only had a partial recipe. It calls for water instead of milk and I never heard of that. Also the recipe calls for 2 eggs but the directions only say 2 yolks.
This is the recipe she gave me- it is incomplete - also her husband is 75 years old, so it is an old recipe.

Butterscotch pie

1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbs. flour
2 heaping tbs butter
1 c. cold water
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar, flour and egg yolks to smooth paste -
That is all the recipe she gave me.
This seems to be a basic recipe except for the water.
Any suggestions?
And does anyone have a really good recipe for butterscotch pie?

[dneilson]

Here's two recipes to compare:

Pecan Crust Butterscotch Pie
Lee Bailey's Cooking For Friends

Pastry:
1-1/2 cups finely chopped toasted nuts
1/4 cup sugar
White of 1 large egg

Filling:
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups milk
3 large egg yolks
3 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted coarse chopped pecans

Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp rum


I'll type up only the filling instructions: (the crust and topping can be figured out)

Place the brown sugar, flour and salt in a bowl and compbine well. In another bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk and the egg yolks. Whisk this into the sugar-flour mixture, then add the balance of the milk and combine well.
Place in the top of a double boiler and cook over barely boiling water, whisking, until very thick, 12 to 15 minutes. Off the heat, stir in butter and vanilla, then the pecans.
Cover w/ round of waxed paper, placed directly on the surface. Let filling cool about 15 minutes, then pour it into the crust. Cover as before with waxed paper; when it reaches room temperature, chill it for at least 3 hours.

Midwestern Butterscotch Cream Pie
Richard Sax-Classic Home Desserts

Graham Cracker Crust
Butterscotch Filling:
3/4 cup brown sugar, dark
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
pinch salt
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp butter, unsalted

Whipped cream Topping
1/2 to 2/3 cup heavy cream, well chilled
1 Tbsp confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Stir together 1/2 cup brown sugar and the cornstarch i a bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the milk and the egg yolks; set aside. Bring the remaining 2-3/4 cups of milk, the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and salt to a boil in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat.
When the milk is boiling, add a splash to the egg yolk mixture in the bowl and whisk well (this heats the yolks very slowly, preventing curdling). Repeat the process 2-3 times. Scrape the mixture into the saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Be sure to whisk around the edges of the pan. Boil, whisking, for 2 minutes. Strain the custard into a clean bowl. Whisk in the vanilla and butter until smooth. Place a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a "skin" from forming; refrigerate until cooked, about 2 hrs.
Pour cooled custard into the crust. Top with wax paper or plastic, chill.

Dolores

[madpots]

Those both sound good. Lee Bailey always has good recipes.
Thank you for posting.