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My father said the best pie his mother ever made was the only one she never wrote down, because, as she told him, there was nothing to write. Eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg, in a crust. That was all. Egg custard pie is the plainest pie in the world, and the one my father would have chosen over any cake at any table. It comes out of the oven pale gold and freckled with nutmeg, it trembles when you set it down, and you eat it cold, in thin slices, smooth as silk.
Plain does not mean easy. A custard pie has two enemies. The first is a soggy bottom crust, because a raw crust under a wet filling never crisps. The second is weeping, the watery layer that pools under the slice when the eggs are baked too hot or too long. My grandmother beat both with three habits: a crust baked a little on its own first, milk warmed before it meets the eggs, and a low oven with the pie taken out while the middle still wobbles. Here is how to keep the custard from weeping and the crust from going soggy.
Why this egg custard pie works
- A partly baked crust. Baking the empty crust first sets the pastry so the custard cannot soak into it.
- A hot baking sheet underneath. The pie sits on a preheated sheet, which sends heat straight into the bottom crust.
- Warm milk. Warmed milk poured slowly into the eggs gives a smoother custard that sets evenly and bakes faster.
- A low oven. Gentle heat sets the eggs slowly and stops them tightening and squeezing out water.
- Taken out with a wobble. The center finishes setting as the pie cools, so it stays silky instead of rubbery.
Ingredients
Makes one 9 inch pie, 8 slices. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the crust
- 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought, chilled
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
For the custard
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk (600ml)
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (135g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for the top
Use whole milk for a rich, smooth custard. Freshly grated nutmeg is the whole flavor of this pie, so grate it from a whole nutmeg if you can.
How to make egg custard pie
Crust
- Fit the crust into a 9 inch glass or metal pie plate and crimp the edge. Chill it for 20 minutes.
- Put a baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees (200°C).
- Line the crust with parchment and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Set it on the hot baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are set.
- Lift out the parchment and weights, brush the bottom and sides of the crust with the beaten egg white, and bake 3 to 4 minutes more, until it looks dry. Leave the baking sheet in the oven and turn the oven down to 325 degrees (165°C).
Custard
- Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it steams and small bubbles appear around the edge. Do not let it boil.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and salt until smooth but not foamy.
- Pour the hot milk into the eggs in a thin stream, whisking all the time, so the eggs warm gently and never scramble. Stir in the vanilla and nutmeg.
- Pour the custard through a fine strainer into a jug. This removes any bits of egg white and gives a silky pie.
- Set the pie crust back on the hot baking sheet in the oven and pour the custard in carefully, right in the oven, to just below the rim. Grate more nutmeg over the top.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still wobbles like jelly in a circle about 2 inches across when you gently nudge the pie. A knife pushed in halfway between the edge and the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Tips that make the difference
- Cover the crust edge with a ring of foil if it browns too fast.
- Whisk gently. Too much froth leaves bubbles on the top of the pie.
- Do not wait for the center to be firm. A custard baked until fully set in the oven will weep.
- Slice with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry for clean edges.
Variations
- Coconut custard. Stir 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (85g) into the custard before pouring.
- Cinnamon. Use half nutmeg and half ground cinnamon on top.
- Lemon. Add the finely grated zest of one lemon to the warm milk.
- Richer. Use 2 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream.
Storage and make-ahead
Egg custard pie must be kept in the refrigerator. Cover it loosely and eat within 3 days.
Do not freeze it. The custard turns watery when it thaws.
Serve cold or let slices sit out for 15 minutes before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my custard pie weep?
It was baked too hot or too long. Bake at 325 degrees and take it out while the center still wobbles; it finishes setting as it cools.
How do I keep the bottom crust from getting soggy?
Partly bake the crust first, seal it with egg white, and bake the pie on a baking sheet heated in the oven, on the lowest rack.
Why is my custard full of bubbles or holes?
The eggs were whisked too hard or the oven was too hot. Whisk gently and strain the custard.
Should custard pie be served warm or cold?
Most families eat it cold from the refrigerator, when it slices cleanly. Some like it at room temperature.
Grate the nutmeg with a heavy hand, take it out while it still wobbles, and you will never need to write it down either.
Old-Fashioned Egg Custard Pie (Silky, No Weeping, Crisp Bottom Crust)
Old-fashioned egg custard pie made with eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and fresh nutmeg in a partly baked crust, baked low on a hot baking sheet until just set, so the custard is silky and the bottom crust stays crisp.
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought, chilled
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for the top
Instructions
- Fit the crust into a 9 inch glass or metal pie plate and crimp the edge. Chill it for 20 minutes.
- Put a baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees (200°C).
- Line the crust with parchment and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Set it on the hot baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are set.
- Lift out the parchment and weights, brush the bottom and sides of the crust with the beaten egg white, and bake 3 to 4 minutes more, until it looks dry. Leave the baking sheet in the oven and turn the oven down to 325 degrees (165°C).
- Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it steams and small bubbles appear around the edge. Do not let it boil.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and salt until smooth but not foamy.
- Pour the hot milk into the eggs in a thin stream, whisking all the time, so the eggs warm gently and never scramble. Stir in the vanilla and nutmeg.
- Pour the custard through a fine strainer into a jug. This removes any bits of egg white and gives a silky pie.
- Set the pie crust back on the hot baking sheet in the oven and pour the custard in carefully, right in the oven, to just below the rim. Grate more nutmeg over the top.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still wobbles like jelly in a circle about 2 inches across when you gently nudge the pie. A knife pushed in halfway between the edge and the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.
