I absolutely love making old-fashioned custard pie! It’s a timeless dessert that never fails to impress with its rich, creamy filling and buttery, flaky crust.
This recipe is a perfect blend of simple ingredients like eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk, creating a velvety smooth custard that just melts in your mouth with every bite. The pie is baked to a golden perfection, giving it a delicate caramelized top that adds a hint of sweetness. Served either warm or chilled, this custard pie is a classic treat that evokes nostalgia and comfort with every delicious slice.
Tips for Perfecting the Recipe
Choose Quality Ingredients: The simplicity of a custard pie means each ingredient shines through. Use the freshest eggs, high-quality vanilla extract, and the best dairy you can find. The flavor of the custard will reflect the quality of the ingredients used.
Pie Dough Perfection: Whether you’re making your pie dough from scratch or using store-bought, ensure it’s rolled out evenly to prevent a soggy bottom. If you’re making homemade dough, keep everything as cold as possible to achieve a flaky crust.
Temperature Matters: Ingredients should be at room temperature to mix more thoroughly and bake more evenly. Cold ingredients can lead to a lumpy custard.
Avoid Overmixing: When combining your custard ingredients, mix just until the eggs, sugar, and dairy are blended. Overmixing can incorporate too much air, leading to an undesirable texture.
Baking the Pie: Pre-baking or blind baking the crust is crucial to prevent it from becoming soggy once the custard is added. Additionally, baking the pie at a high temperature initially, then lowering it, helps set the custard perfectly without overcooking.
The Jiggle Test: The pie is done when the edges are set, but there’s a slight jiggle in the center. This indicates a silky, smooth custard inside. Overbaking can lead to a rubbery texture.
Cooling and Chilling: Allow the pie to cool gradually at room temperature before chilling it in the refrigerator. This slow cooling process helps prevent cracks from forming on the surface.
Ingredients
1 disc of Foolproof Flaky Pie Dough or a good quality store-bought pie dough
4 large eggs
½ cup sugar (increase to ⅔ for a sweeter pie)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1 ½ cups milk
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Fresh whipped cream for serving
Step-by-step instructions
Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Prepare the Pie Dough: Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out the pie dough so that it’s about 3 inches larger than your pie plate. Trim the edges to make it round, if necessary. Gently roll the dough onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the pie plate. Press it in to fit, tuck the loose pieces under, and crimp the edges. Place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.
Prepare the Pie Crust: Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Remove the pie crust from the freezer, brush it with egg whites to create a barrier and prevent sogginess. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then let it cool.
Lower Oven Temperature: Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Make the Custard: Add sugar, salt, vanilla extract, heavy cream, milk, and nutmeg to the eggs. Whisk together until well combined, avoiding too much air.
Bake the Pie: Place the pie plate on a foil-lined sheet pan. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust. Bake for about 1 hour or until the edges are set but the center is slightly wobbly.
Cool and Serve: Allow the pie to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream and more grated nutmeg, if desired.