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Custard Pie

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Custard Pie

Cuisine:American

Course:Dessert

20m prep 1h 0m cook 1h 20m ready

A classic custard pie with a silky egg-and-cream filling in a blind-baked pastry crust, lightly scented with vanilla and optional nutmeg. Serve plain or with sugared fruit or chocolate shavings.

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 1
    • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
    • (1 teaspoon sugar, for sweet pies)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ cup chilled lard (155g) or vegetable shortening (145g), cut into small pieces
    • 3 tablespoons (45g) cold butter, cut into cubes
    • 6 tablespoons (90g) ice water mixed with 1 tablespoon distilled white or cider vinegar
    • 1 to 3 teaspoons ice water
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Whisk together in a medium bowl or pulse briefly in a food processor: 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour; (1 teaspoon sugar, for sweet pies); ½ teaspoon salt
    2. Have ready: ¾ cup chilled lard (155g) or vegetable shortening (145g), cut into small pieces; 3 tablespoons (45g) cold butter, cut into cubes
    3. If mixing the dough by hand, place half of the cubes on the flour mixture and using a pastry blender or fingertips, lightly work it in until it has the consistency of oats. Add the remaining pieces of fat and rub into the flour, flattening them between your fingers until they are roughly pea-sized or a little larger with some larger, flattened pieces. If using a food processor, add all the fat at once and pulse until most of it is in pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle the dough with: 6 tablespoons (90g) ice water mixed with 1 tablespoon distilled white or cider vinegar
    4. Blend the water gently into the dough with a silicone spatula or pulse until it just holds together. If the dough is still dry and crumbly, add: 1 to 3 teaspoons ice water
    5. The dough should not be wet or sticky but should hold together when squeezed. Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, and roll out immediately as directed in Rolling Pie Dough, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Prepare as directed in Lining a Pie or Tart Pan with Dough. To fill and bake, see individual recipes. For a baked shell, see About Blind Baking Crusts.
  • 1 large egg yolk, beaten
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup (100g) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (460g) half-and-half or heavy cream
  • (¼ to ½ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg)
  • Sugared fresh fruit
  • Chocolate shavings

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1 ½ recipe Basic Pie or Pastry Dough, or All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough
  • 1 large egg yolk, beaten
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup (100g) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (460g) half-and-half or heavy cream
  • (¼ to ½ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg)
  • Sugared fresh fruit
  • Chocolate shavings

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Line a 9-inch pie pan, preferably glass, with: ½ recipe Basic Pie or Pastry Dough, or All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough

  2. Step 2.

    Bake as directed in About Blind Baking Crusts. After removing the pie weights, glaze the crust with: 1 large egg yolk, beaten

  3. Step 3.

    Return the crust to the oven and bake until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

  4. Step 4.

    While the crust bakes, prepare the filling. Whisk together in a large bowl just until blended: 3 large eggs; 3 large egg yolks; ½ cup (100g) sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla; ⅛ teaspoon salt

  5. Step 5.

    Bring to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat: 2 cups (460g) half-and-half or heavy cream

  6. Step 6.

    While gently whisking, gradually add the hot cream to the egg mixture. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Immediately pour the hot custard into the warm crust. If desired, dust the top with: (¼ to ½ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg)

  7. Step 7.

    Bake until the center of the custard seems set but quivery, like gelatin, when the pan is nudged, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Serve plain or with: Sugared fresh fruit

  8. Step 8.

    or garnished with: Chocolate shavings

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