Sensationally Smooth and Simple Vanilla Custard Pie

At first glance it may seem as if there are a lot of steps for this vanilla custard pie but really it is very simple with "staple" ingredients. The steps are for clarification. Basically it's just heating milk and whisking it into egg mixture very slowly, then bake for about an hour… It is my most requested pie. Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or some rhubarb syrup (yum!).

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 437 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups milk
• 4 large eggs, separated, divided
• ⅔ cup white sugar, or more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (Optional)
• 1 (9 inch) frozen unbaked deep dish pie crust
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (Optional)
• 1 pinch lemon zest (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a double-layered cookie sheet (to protect from overbrowning the bottom) with foil.

Step 2

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam. Do not scorch or boil.

Step 3

Whisk 1 egg white in a bowl. Lightly brush on the inside and top of the frozen pie crust. Place crust on the prepared cookie sheet. Set aside while making custard filling.

Step 4

Whisk remaining eggs and yolk, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and lemon zest together in a bowl until well mixed. Dribble in the steamed milk very slowly, whisking the whole time, about 2 minutes; it will be very frothy.

Step 5

Pour the frothy custard mixture into the prepared pie crust. Sprinkle top with 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Transfer to the oven very carefully.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake until a knife inserted near center comes out moist but mostly clean, about 45 minutes more; start checking 8 to 10 minutes before the hour is up due to variations with ovens.

Step 7

Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes before transferring to a refrigerator to set.