Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [392]
Variations: Add ½ teaspoon ground ginger with the nutmeg.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger over the crust before pouring in the egg mixture.
Buttermilk Pie
So tangy but sweet, you’ll need a strong cup of coffee on the side. Makes one 9-inch pie
1½ cups sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons regular or low-fat buttermilk (do not use fat-free)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 recipe Short Crust or Butter Crust, lined into a 9-inch pie plate and prebaked (for instructions on prebaking,)
Position the rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 350°F.
Beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, lemony yellow, and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Beat in the flour and salt until no graininess is visible; then beat in the buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prebaked crust.
Bake until the filling has almost set, until there’s just the slightest jiggle at the center, about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Should the edges of the crust start to brown too deeply, cover them with a thin strip of aluminum foil.
To cool: Set on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
To store: Once cooled, the pie can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Variations: Cool the prebaked pie crust to room temperature on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Paint the crust with 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted in a bowl in the microwave or in the top half of a double boiler over simmering water and then cooled. Set aside to harden for 30 minutes before you pour in the filling.
Once the filling has been poured into the crust, sprinkle ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, grated mace, or ground cinnamon over the top.
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How Do You Know When a Custard Pie Is Set?
There’s no need to stick a knife in it. Instead, note how the filling moves when the pie is gently tapped or moved from side to side. It should shimmy and shake in one piece, rather than ripple or flow in waves. In no case, however, should the filling be stationary and motionless when the pie is tapped (a sign of an overbaked custard).
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Lemon Chess Pie
This Southern tradition is a buttery lemon custard with a velvety finish. Makes one 9-inch pie
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 recipe Short Crust or Butter Crust, lined into a 9-inch pie plate and prebaked (for instructions on prebaking,)
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Beat the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the egg yolk until smooth.
Beat in the flour and salt until no graininess is visible, then beat in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Make sure there’s no undissolved material on the bottom of the bowl, then pour this mixture into the prebaked pie crust.
Bake until lightly browned and puffed, until the filling is almost set, just the slightest wobble at the center when the rim of the pie plate is tapped, about 45 minutes.
To cool: Set on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
To store: Once cooled, the pie can be covered with plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Lemon Rum Chess Pie: Reduce the lemon juice to 2 tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons gold rum with the remaining