Classic Egg Custard Pie Recipe with an Easy Lard Crust - Sizzling Eats (2024)

FAQs

What makes egg custard pie watery? ›

However if the proteins are overcooked, either by using a temperature that is too high or just cooking for too long, then the proteins will come together so tightly that they will start to squeeze out water and this causes the weeping in an egg custard (or the scientific term for this is syneresis).

In North America, "custard pie" commonly refers to a plain mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and sometimes nutmeg combined with a pie crust. It is distinctly different from a cream pie, which contains cooked custard poured into a cooled, precooked crust.

A low temperature and constant stirring are important to prevent the custard from curdling. Nigella also suggests that you half fill the sink with cold water so that if it looks as if the custard is starting to curdle you can dip the base of the pan into the water and whisk vigorously, to cool the custard quickly.

Often, blind-baking solves this problem. If you're making a single crust custard-filled pie, like a pumpkin pie, bake the pie dough first before adding filling to allow some of the moisture in the crust to evaporate. You can also totally blind-bake fruit pies.

Many custard recipes/formulas use cornstarch as the thickening agent. The amount of liquid a starch grain can attract (absorb) and how concentrated the starch grains are in the liquid affect the thickness of the final product.

Why does my egg custard pie taste like scrambled eggs? Overbaked custard can lead to an eggy flavor and rubbery consistency. Make sure to bake the custard pie until slightly jiggly in the center.

Using a Thickening Agent

For 1 cup (240 mL) of custard, use 2 tablespoons (17 g) of flour mixed with 4 tablespoons (59 mL) of cold water. Add the mixture into your custard ingredients as they cook on the stove. Use cornstarch as an alternative to flour. Cornstarch, like flour, requires cold water as a mixing agent.

Quiche is a pie that originated in northeastern France in the Alsace-Lorraine region. The key to a great quiche is a flaky crust and a creamy custard filling that holds a cut edge.

While most custard and pudding recipes both typically call for eggs, the main difference is that pudding uses a starch for thickening, whereas custard's thickening agent is the egg itself (or egg yolk, in most instances). Custard's texture also tends to be firmer than pudding.

What's the difference between custard and egg custard? ›

Egg custard is a variation on cream custard. Egg custurd is a tick rich creamy sweet or savory dessert, made mixtures of eggs or egg yolks, milk or cream, flavorings (vanilla, nutmeg, etc.) and optionally, sweeteners (sugar, honey). Basic custards are thickened and set by eggs alone.

In custard preparation, substituting egg yolks for whole eggs can offer nutritional advantages and cater to specific dietary needs without compromising the dish's creamy texture.

Low and Slow Is the Way to Go

The highest oven temperature you'll see in a custard pie recipe is 375ºF—any higher than that and you run the risk of curdling. For me, the sweet spot is between 35-45 minutes at 325 or 350ºF, but the exact temperature matters less than avoiding over-baking at all costs.

Allow your pie to bake for the entire recommended period.

People often pull their pie too soon out of fear that it will burn. This leads to runny pie because it prevents the filling from thickening. Check the recommended cooking time, and set a timer. Don't use the brownness of your pie crust to judge if it is done.

Custard is a decadent dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar. Eggs are responsible for custard's thick and velvety texture, but some recipes (such as this one) call for thickeners such as cornstarch or arrowroot for extra richess.

We reserve using flour as a thickener for heartier fruits like apples and pears. 2. Pay attention to bake times: one reason you'll often end up with a runny fruit pie is simply that it hasn't been baked long enough.

If you don't bake your pie at a high enough temp your thickener doesn't get to the necessary temperature for a long enough time to thicken your filling. Also, that high temp is needed to get your pie crust light & flaky. If needed, use a pie shield to help protect your crust from burning.