Egg custard pie is a light tasting, sweet treat. This is is an ideal summer dessert because it isn’t too heavy while still adding a nice finish to any meal. Or as a little afternoon delight. At just 244 calories per slice, this easy dessert recipe isn’t going to put you over the top!
Make this easy homemade dessert in about an hour.
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I first fell in love with custard pies when my sister-in-law Carol (aka “The Pie Queen”) started making her raspberry custard pie. Today’s recipe is a base for all of those wonderful berries desserts that Carol makes. The beauty of this egg pie is that it stands firmly (no pun intended), by itself. It just may be the best thing I’ve tasted since sliced bread!
🥧 What is it?
Remember hearing that simple is best? This dessert proves that point. Egg custard pie is a simple old-fashioned, no-frills dessert recipe.
You can serve it by itself, or top it with
It’s perfect for company or for a major holiday meal, like Thanksgiving dinner. The bottom line: Egg custard pie tastes great any day of the year.
🥘 What’s in it?
The shortlist of ingredients is part of what makes this recipe so appealing.
Eggs
Sugar
Vanilla
Nutmeg
Salt
Egg white
Pie crust
🥣 How to make it
Start by gathering your ingredients. To save some time, you can always use a store-bought crust. If you want to learn how to make a pie crust, we are more than happy to show you the way!
Pro Baking Tip – Always use eggs at room temperature when baking. This will help your recipe to bake evenly. Here is a great trick for how to bring eggs to room temperature quickly.
Combine eggs, sugar, salt, and, vanilla into a large mixing bowl.
Add the scalded milk to the rest of the ingredients, after it has cooled.
Be sure the milk is cooled before adding it, so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs!
Scalding the milk is optional, see FAQ below.
Whisk it all together.
Use a pastry brush and coat the inside of the pie crust with the egg white.
Pour the filling into the crust.
Use a fine-mesh strainer to top the pie filling with the ground nutmeg.
Homemade egg custard pie
Once you have everything put together, you’ll bake it for 40-50 minutes at 400°F, until it is set.
💭 FAQ
How do you know when an egg custard pie is done?
This is done baking when the edges are firm but the center gently jiggles when you gently shake the pan. Don’t overbake!
Do egg custard pies need to be refrigerated?
Any recipe that contains eggs or dairy should be refrigerated as soon as it is cooled to room temperature.
Seal it with kitchen wrap
Refrigerate it for up to two days
Can I use evaporated milk?
For a smooth and creamy texture to this egg custard pie, you can substitute regular milk for any of the following.
Evaporated milk
Sweetened condensed milk
Half and half
Cream
Pro Cooking Tip: It is not necessary to scald any of these before adding it to the eggs. Warming them, to at least room temperature or above, will enhance the baking process!
Why is scalded milk used in some recipes?
Back in the days before pasteurization, milk was scalded to help eliminate any nasty bacteria that may have been in the milk. Even though today’s milk is pasteurized, scalding milk before baking with it can add some nice touches to your recipe.
Milk is a great way to infuse flavor and can help incorporate things like vanilla beans, cinnamon, mint leaves, and many other common baking ingredients.
Scaling milk first will help butter melt and yeast to rise in some recipes like homemade bread.
Do I have to par-bake the crust before filling?
You don’t have to par-bake the crust for this egg custard pie. Brushing the pie shell before baking will help to keep it from getting soggy.
A Few of Our Favorite Homemade Pie Recipes
I grew eating this type of dessert, and I’m afraid my waistline shows it. Still, I wouldn’t change a thing. My Mennonite Mom could whip up this egg custard pie like it was nobody’s business all the while juggling an armful of other tasks. A good homemade pie always takes me back to those magical days of growing up on the farm and knowing first hand the meaning of real food.
I hope you’ll give this egg custard pie a try, and be sure and let us know how you like it! Leaving a comment below is one way we know that you’re reading our recipes. It’s almost as good as seeing the smile on your face after tasting this pie. Thanks for reading Platter Talk, it means the world to us!
Dan from Platter Talk
⏲️ Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Calories: 244kcal
Cost: $5
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400° F. Combine the egg, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Pour the milk in with the other ingredients and whisk to combine. If using scalded milk, be sure it has cooled before adding.
Use a pastry brush to coat the inside of the pie shell. pour the filling into the prepared shell and sprinkle the nutmeg on top, using a fine-mesh strainer
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the edges of the pie are firm and the center jiggles a bit Allow to cool on a cooling rack and then refrigerate before serving.
Notes
Wondering how to scald milk? Our good friend and Wisconsin native from Culinary Hill can show you the way!
Nutrition
Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg
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