Hello Bakers,
I am obsessed with forgotten and lost recipes. Maybe you are too.
You know what I mean, those recipes that you might remember from your childhood, family memories or long gone restaurant favorites. They come forward pretty quickly when we cast our mind back.
One day I would love to have a blog or a baking show (ambitious I know) that focused on helping bakers find their lost or forgotten recipes. If you like this idea, please let me know.
Today's recipe is one of those. I had this custard pie years ago in Ashfield, MA the town where I had my bed and breakfast. It was at a church potluck and Mrs. Loomis, who had brought the pie told me it was her grandmother's recipe - making it about 80 years old.
What makes it so good? Just perfect pie crust holding creamy custard that is kissed by nutmeg. I don't why it got lost - we still have other custards like pumpkin and quiche that we make a lot. Maybe it's because we move faster and eat differently then we used too. Custard pie is reminiscent of Sunday suppers, bridge luncheons and church potlucks - these still exist but not they used too. But this pie can become more mainstream, if we make it and bakers it's simple to make.
And if you want to practice pie crust (well before Thanksgiving) and need a filling that is quick and easy - this is it. Put this one in your pie repertoire and let me know what you think.
Bake this one from Scratch! The first baker who posts a recipe of this pie on any of my social media platforms will receive a terracotta brown sugar saver. @bakingwithcolette #bakeitfromscratch Happy Baking! Colette
Equipment: One 9" pie pan, rolling pin, dusting flour, medium sized bowl, whisk, parchment paper, pie weights, and parchment lined half sheet pan.
Pie Crust Recipe is from a previous blog post. There is a tutorial as well. Here is the link.
Follow the tutorial and line the pie pan with dough. Crimp the edges however you would like too and the chill the pie crust for minimum of one hour or over night - chilling helps the pie crust keep it's shape.
Partially Baking the Crust:
After chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, take a sheet of parchment paper about 13" x 18" and crumple it up, line the pie crust with the crumpled paper and fill with pie beans or weights. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. The crust should have no color but the sides will have gone from raw looking to opaque, remove the parchment paper and beans. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork (so that it doesn't bubble up) and place back in the oven for 5-7 minutes to set the bottom of the crust - it should no longer look raw. Set aside and make filling.
Partially Baked Shell
Custard Filling
Custard filling mise en place
- 4 each Eggs
- 3.5 (99g) Granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15g) Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 10 ounces (283g)Heavy cream
- 6 ounces (170g) Milk
- 1/4 teaspoon Fine sea salt
- Nutmeg to sprinkle on top of pie (about 1/4 teaspoon)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees - it will take a while but this lower temperature will cook the custard without it bubbling or turning brown. I tested it at 350 for 30 minutes and then turning down but the results were better at 325 degrees all the way through. No convection.
- In a medium sized bowl whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
- Add cream, milk and salt whisk until combined but do not whisk in too much air. A stick blender (immersion) can also be used.
- Place empty pie crust on lined sheet pan, pour in custard filling, sprinkle top of pie with nutmeg and place carefully in the oven.
- Check in 35 minutes, the filling should "jiggle like jello not ripple like soup". If it is still liquid, put back in the oven. Check in 7 minute intervals. You can also check the center with a skewer or a knife - but be careful not to over bake as then the custard will crack.
- Refrigerate until chilled. This pie serves 8 and can easily be made the day ahead.
Eggs, sugar and vanilla mixed together
Add milk, cream and salt - mix.
Nutmeg kissed ready for the oven