This recipe is the classic, the original dessert from which many other custard pies are derived. Switch out whole milk for buttermilk and you have buttermilk pie, or thicken the custard with cornmeal and you have chess pie. Egg custard pie is made with a basic custard baked in a flaky, all-butter pie crust. The flavors are simple: aromatic vanilla and nutty ground nutmeg. But its simplicity is the basis for its reassuring comfort. That, and the marriage of two contrasting textures: a smooth, creamy custard and a snappy, flaky crust.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Pie Crust
While there is no shame in using a store-bought crust (it’s such a time saver!), there’s nothing quite like a buttery, flaky pie crust made from scratch. These tips will make you a pie crust expert so you can achieve the perfect pie crust every time.
Keep it cold: Mixing the dough with cold ingredients and chilling the mixed dough before rolling will help create an extra flaky crust that’s a breeze to roll out. It can help to dice the butter ahead of time, then chill or freeze it for 20 minutes before mixing the dough. This prevents the butter from melting into the flour during mixing so you can achieve a flakier crust. Make ahead: After mixing the dough, refrigerate it for at least one hour before rolling. This extra time in the fridge not only chills the dough but also allows the flour to hydrate and the gluten to relax. Chilled dough is much easier to roll out and better maintains the distinct layers of butter in the dough. A food processor makes quick work of preparing a pie crust and cuts the butter into the flour without melting it. Don’t fret if you don’t have a food processor; pie dough is easy to mix by hand with a pastry cutter or just the tips of your fingers. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time. You know you’ve added enough water to the dough when a small handful of the crumbly dough holds together when pinched with your fingers. Blind bake the crust before adding the filling. With a liquid filling like custard, blind baking the crust ensures it’s crisp, flaky, and sturdy enough to support the filling. Without blind-baking, the crust would be too soggy.
How to Make the Custard Filling
The custard filling for this pie is an easy mix of milk, butter, eggs, sugar, and flour with a bit of vanilla extract and ground nutmeg for flavoring. The custard ingredients are whisked together in a large bowl and poured into the pre-baked pie crust. Then it’s carefully placed into the oven and baked at a low temperature so the custard can thicken slowly to help prevent curdling the eggs by cooking them too quickly. When the pie is ready, the custard will just have begun to turn golden. The edge of the custard will be set, but the middle will still wobble. You may think it’s underbaked, but the custard continues to thicken as it cools. If you want to be extra sure, you can check with an instant-read thermometer. The center of the custard should register between 170°F and 180°F.
Make-Ahead Pie Crust
While the custard filling cannot be prepared in advance, you can get a head start on the crust. The pie crust can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge tightly wrapped with plastic. The pie dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling out the crust. You can even freeze the par-baked crust. After the crust has cooled completely, double wrap it in plastic and store it in the freezer for up to one month. Let the crust thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 1 hour before pouring the custard filling in.
Storage Instructions
The cooled pie will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator covered tightly with foil or plastic wrap. The custard filling does not freeze well, resulting in an unpleasant texture once thawed.
For When You Want More Pie
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Use an oven thermometer to check the temperature of your oven. The slightly more gentle baking at 325°F ensures the custard bakes evenly, which keeps it from sinking and curdling. To roll the dough, start at the center and roll outwards to the edges. Rotate the dough as you roll to keep the dough circular. If the dough starts to stick, lightly dust the dough or the rolling pin with more flour. If you need more tips and tricks for blind baking a pie crust, here is a good resource! Whisk in the eggs, followed by the melted butter, then the milk and vanilla extract. The filling will be quite liquid and pale yellow. Pour the filling into the parbaked crust. Carefully transfer the pie to the oven and bake, 50 to 55 minutes. The custard should be set at the edges, but still wobbly in the center. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the pie should read 170°F to 175°F. The custard may appear too liquidy, but it will set further as it cools. If the edges of the pie start to get too dark you can cover them with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil. Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!
