Custard Pie Recipe

Happy Pi Day 2024!

I was reminded that Pi Day was coming up, and my first thought was “I have no time!” and my second thought was “I have no time!” as this Pi Day was Day Job, Live! From the Blanket Fort recording, and then later this evening, joining other members of the Raconteur Press crew to do an interview on Blasters and Blades. This recipe is very much an eat this while you listen to that…

And I wasn’t going to do it. I had no time to bake! Until a friend shared a picture of her eggs, in response to my crowing over the eggs I’ve been collecting as my hens started to lay. Her caption, on an image of an overflowing basket of eggs, read simply ‘help’ and I knew what I had to do. First, I linked the infamous list of 99 Ways to Cook Eggs, and then I looked at it for the first time in a long while. I really need to finish filling in the list with linked recipes. And it’s Pi Day. The rest, as they say, is tasty history.

First off, you’ll want to make and bake two pie shells. Why two? Well, that’s what my lard pie crust recipe makes. Preheat your oven to 400F, make the crusts and pop them into pie pans, and either prick with a fork all over, or use weights, then bake for 15-20 minutes.

Now that you have two blind-baked shells, start on the filling.

Custard Filling

preheat oven to 300F

• 4 eggs

• 3 c milk, hot

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla

I heat my milk for about 2-3 minutes in the microwave, until it’s hot but not yet boiling. Whisk the eggs and other ingredients together, then slowly whisk in the milk. When everything is well combined, pour carefully into the pie shells.

Slide the pies gently into the oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes, the center of the pie will be maybe a little jiggly, but firm enough to poke with a fingertip.

Cool, and top before serving.

Before baking…

And after, while cooling!

The really fun thing about this simple custard is that like Pi, it’s near infinite. You can top it with cherries and whipped cream like I did, or you could:

drizzle on chocolate syrup

caramel syrup

sliced fresh strawberries

blackberry puree

apricot glaze

sliced fresh peaches

sprinkle of nutmeg

crushed pistachios and honey

toasted coconut

whiskey sauce

nutella

Caramel Sauce

fried apples

I could go on, and on, and on, but what would you put atop this delectable dish?