Custard Pie: A Beginner's Guide To Mastering The Classic Dessert

Custard pie is an absolute classic dessert that has a silky-smooth filling prepared from eggs, milk, and cream. Bake this buttery sweet crumbly pie for your next feast.

We are in the holiday season enjoying the chilly weather. It is also the time for the most awaited festival, Christmas. During this special occasion we take some time out from our busy schedule and celebrate with our loved ones. This festive season also gives us an opportunity to take a dive into some delicious delicacies.

Speaking particularly about desserts, pies are at the top of our lists. Made with various delicious ingredients, they are super versatile and can be prepared with a variety of fillings. Besides pumpkin and apple pie, custard pie is another variety of this sweet delicacy that is loved by all. Packed with silky smooth egg custard filling, this buttery and crumbly pie is perfect to decorate your dinner table.

A perfect custard pie must have a buttery sweet pastry which is rightly cooked without any soggy bottom. The egg-based filling should be silky smooth and not overbaked. Here is a simple recipe to make a perfect custard pie at home:

Ingredients

For the pie crust:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 egg

For the filling:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Method

• Add the flour, sugar, and salt to the food processor, and pulse until well combined. Add in the butter and pulse again 5-7 times.
• Then add in the egg and let the dough process for about 1 minute. Transfer it to a clean work surface dusted with flour.
• Roll out into a pie to an 11″ circle and line a 9” pie plate. Crimp the edges and transfer the dough to the freezer for chilling.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place a rack on the lower middle part of the oven. Then line the pie dough with a parchment round piece of paper.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes on the lower rack, then remove the parchment and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the pie crust’ bottom becomes dry. Set it aside until ready to use.
• Lower the heat to 325º. Whisk together the sugar, salt, eggs and yolks in a mixing bowl. Add in the milk, cream and vanilla and whisk again to combine.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Carefully pour the filling into the baked pie shell and grate about ½ tsp nutmeg over the top of the custard pie.
• Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until the filling has nearly set with a slight wobble in the middle of the pie.
• The pie should have a temperature of 180ºF. Remove it from the oven and place it on a rack to let it cool.
• When done, refrigerate until ready to serve. You can bake the pie up to 1 day ahead of time.
• To Serve: It is best served cold along with the topping of homemade whipped cream and fresh grated nutmeg.

Tips For Making A Perfect Custard Pie

• Bake The Pastry Well
• As the custard filling is very wet, always bake the pie pastry fully before adding in the filling. If you pour custard into an unbaked crust, it increases the risk of breaking the dough.
• Do Not Over Whisk
• Whisking the eggs too much will lead to the creation of aeration and air bubbles. However, these air bubbles will not do anything to the taste of the pie, but they are very unpleasant to look at.
• Let It Completely Cool Before Slicing
• If you want to relish a perfect custard pie, then make sure to let it cool completely. You can also refrigerate the pie to let it set and become firm.