Now, don’t ask me why it’s called ‘Impossible Pie’, as ‘Marian’ doesn’t tell us why. And it’s certainly not a pie, more a pudding/sponge. It’s not ‘impossible’ either – in fact, it’s easy to make and tastes good, with a crunchy top and soft spongy centre.

‘Impossible’ perhaps, because it’s hard not to like it, with its more-ish blend of sugar, eggs, coconut with a good bash of vanilla (I noted that the author suggests a good splash of ‘Bailey’s Irish Cream’ as an alternative to vanilla; so definitely a person after my own heart!).  The recipe was in a modern local recipe book, but I’m told it has been passed down through the generations.

Ingredients

• 2 oz (56 g) softened butter
• 2 oz (56 g) caster sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 oz (28 g) self-raising flour
• 7 fl oz milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence (or good splash of Bailey’s)
• 2 oz (56 g) desiccated coconut

Method

1. Mix softened butter and caster sugar until creamy
2. Add flour and eggs and mix together, then add the milk, vanilla, coconut and mix all well together until you have a batter
3. Pour into a greased ovenproof dish and bake at 180 C / 325 F / gas mark 4  for 40 minutes or until the top springs back when touched
4. Serve warm with a dusting of icing sugar (or anything else sweet that you fancy, e.g. jam, marmalade etc. It would also go well with a side dish of cooked sharp flavoured apples).
5. Tasty when cold, too, if there’s any left.

Source: Silsden’s Favourite Recipes. Past & Present. (2019) Published by The Friends of Silsden Town Hall.