Making

In a large bowl, use a pastry blender to cut sugar and butter into flour until mixture is the consistency of coarse cornmeal. 

Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture for crumbs on top of the pie. 

Set the crumbs and the reserved 1/2 cup of crumbs aside. 

Stir baking soda into boiling water, then stir in molasses and beaten egg into the soda-water mixture. 

Add this molasses mixture to crumb mixture. Stir until batter is smooth. 

Pour into two unbaked pie crusts. Sprinkle saved crumbs over top of each pie. 

Bake at 375 degrees (F) about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Transfer from oven to cooling racks. Let cool completely (or until just warm). 

Serving

Cut into wedges and serve each on a nice dessert plate.