There isn’t much room for mistakes when making custards – a variance of 1 degree in cooking can completely change the texture. Custard pies can be either dairy-based or sugar/syrup-based, and both require delicate handling, as they are prone to certain difficulties that other pies are not - they can crack (if they are over-baked or cooled too quickly), pull away from the crust (if the edges finish cooking before center sets), and "weep” (the liquid is wrung out - again, from over-cooking).
The easiest way to ensure a well-formed custard pie is to bake it in a water bath (similar to using a double-boiler, but in the oven). Using a roasting pan large enough to hold your pie pan, fill with approximately 1 inch of water. If your pie dish has handles, it is easier to first place the water pan in the oven, then place your pie pan inside. Otherwise, place your pie pan in the water, then gently (don’t splash!) place both pans in the oven. Never use thin aluminum pie pans in a water bath – they are flimsy and very difficult to remove from the water without bending.
Remove the pie from the oven when the edges are set but the center still has a little jiggle. Unless the recipe specifically states otherwise, if the filling has started to puff up and soufflé, you've waited too long.
Always store custard pies in the refrigerator. The eggs and milk in the custard are prone to bacterial growth if left to warm.
If (despite your best efforts) your pie develops cracks, it’s easy to decorate the top to conceal the flaws. Use extra dough to cut out festive shapes (leaves, berries, etc.) and brush with an egg wash. (Remember – these small pieces of dough will require less baking time, so watch them carefully and cover with aluminum foil if necessary.) Also, some pies can be topped with whipped cream, meringue, chocolate shavings, or other garnish.
Baked Custard Pies
Old-Fashioned Fudge Pie 
2 squares (2-ounces) semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar, then the eggs; beat well.
Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 25 minutes or until just set.
Serve warm or cold, with ice cream or whipped cream.
Black Bottom Pie
2 cups whole milk or half & half
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 tbsp cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
1 tbsp gelatin
1 1/4 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp vanilla
4 stiffly beaten egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1 pint whipping cream
Grated chocolate
Soak gelatin in 1/3 cup water.
Separate eggs.
To yolks, add hot milk, and stir until well mixed.
Return to pot and cook at low heat until spoon is well coated.
Stir in gelatin (which was soaked water).
Divide custard in half.
In one half add melted chocolate and vanilla. Stir thoroughly.
Pour on top of crust.
Refrigerate until "set".
Whip egg whites until stiffened. Gently fold in cream of tartar, sugar, and vanilla.
Gently fold egg white mixture into 2nd custard half.
Pour on top of cooled chocolate custard and refrigerate.
Beat cream. Put on top of custard after it has been thoroughly cooled and is firm.
Garnish top with chocolate shavings.
Chess Pie
1/3 cup butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp cream
3 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 dash nutmeg
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream sugar and butter together.
Add milk, eggs, vanilla and a dash of nutmeg.
Pour into pie shell.
Bake for 45 minutes or until brown.
Sugar Pie
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
2 tbsp flour
1 cup sugar
2 cups milk
cinnamon (optional)
1 tbsp butter
Sprinkle flour and sugar into pie crust; mix gently. Add milk; stir with fingers until smooth. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
Dot with butter. Bake at 375 until mixture boils, at least one hour. Cool.
Brownie Pie
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt chocolate.
Stir in beaten eggs and sugar.
Add flour, baking powder, and salt - mix well.
Stir in melted butter, vanilla, and pecans.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake 30 minutes.
Buttermilk Pie
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat eggs well.
Sift flour and sugar together.
Add eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, salt, and vanilla.
Stir mixture well.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake 45 minutes.
Strawberry Cream Pie
6 ounces cream cheese
2 ounce Neufchatel cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp flour
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup strawberry jelly
Blind Bake pie crust and chill.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine cream cheese, Neufchatel cheese, sugar, and flour. Mix until creamy.
Beat in yogurt, egg whites, and vanilla. Mix well.
Pour mixture into cooled pie crust.
Bake 25 minutes or until set, then set out to cool.
Melt jelly over low heat in small saucepan (making a glaze).
Place strawberries on top of cooled pie.
Brush jelly glaze over strawberries, allowing it to run down to cheese mixture.
Refrigerate 3+ hours.
Grapefruit Meringue Pie
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups grapefruit juice
1/2 cup water
4 eggs, separated (whites will be used in meringue)
4 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp grated grapefruit rind
Meringue
Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan, off the heat.
Add the grapefruit juice and water and stir with a whisk.
Add the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is well blended and of uniform color.
Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken and start to bubble. It should be thick enough so that it holds its shape when you stir it. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and rind. The mixture will be thick and range in color from yellow to pink, depending on the color of the grapefruits.
Pour the mixture into a baked pie crust and cover it with plastic wrap to keep a skin from forming on top.
Prepare the meringue.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and spread the meringue over the filling. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. The meringue should be lightly browned. Check it frequently for the last 5-10 minutes to make sure the peaks don’t burn.
Dark Chocolate Meringue Pie
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups milk
4 squares bittersweet chocolate, coarsely broken
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, coarsely broken
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare pie crust.
When the crust has cooled, heat the jam for a few seconds in the microwave so that it is liquid and spread over the bottom of the crust.
Mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.
Beat egg yolks, then add the sugar/cornstarch and stir well.
Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly.
Heat over medium burner until it is thick.
Gradually stir in the chocolate and heat until thick and boiling.
Remove from heat, and add the vanilla.
Pour into prepared pie crust.
Arrange raspberries over the chocolate.
Spread the meringue carefully over the filling and berries.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes. The meringue should be lightly browned. Check it frequently for the last 5-10 minutes to make sure the peaks don’t burn.
Chocolate Meringue Pie
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups milk
4 squares bittersweet chocolate, coarsely broken
1/2 tsp vanilla
Meringue
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare pie crust.
Mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.
Beat egg yolks, then add the sugar/cornstarch and stir well.
Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly.
Heat over medium burner until it is thick.
Gradually stir in the chocolate and heat until thick and boiling.
Remove from heat, and add the vanilla.
Pour into prepared pie crust.
Prepare the meringue.
Spread the meringue carefully over the filling.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes. The meringue should be lightly browned. Check it frequently for the last 5-10 minutes to make sure the peaks don’t burn.
Lemon Meringue Pie
1 1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup water
4 egg yolks (whites will be used in the meringue)
4 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
2 tsp grated lemon rind
Meringue
Grate the lemon.
Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan, off the heat.
Add the lemon juice and water and stir with a whisk.
Add the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is well blended and of uniform color.
Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken and start to bubble. It should be thick enough so that it holds its shape when you stir it. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and rind. The mixture will be thick and yellow.
Pour the mixture into a baked pie crust and cover it with plastic wrap to keep a skin from forming on top.
Prepare the meringue.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and spread the meringue over the filling. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. The meringue should be lightly browned. Check it frequently for the last 5-10 minutes to make sure the peaks don’t burn.
Rosalynn Carter’s Peanut Butter Cream Pie
Meringue
Bottom Layer:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups Peanut Butter
Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups milk
1 tbsp butter
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
Blind Bake pie crust.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients.
Add milk and egg yolks.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick.
Add butter and vanilla.
Set aside.
Mix bottom layer ingredients well. Put about 2/3 of it in the bottom of baked pie crust.
Pour filling on top of bottom layer.
Top with meringue.
Sprinkle reserved peanut butter mixture on top of meringue.
Bake until meringue is light brown, about 8-15 minutes.
No-Bake Cream Pies
Chocolate Cream Pie
1 large box instant chocolate pudding
2 1/2 cups milk
1 Chocolate or Graham Cracker Crust
whipped cream
chocolate chips or shavings (optional, but suggested)
Mix pudding and milk. Stir in chocolate chips.
Pour into pie crust.
Top with whipped cream.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips/shavings, or any other garnish you prefer.
S’more Pie
1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz. size) sweetened condensed milk
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melt the chocolate chips and marshmallows in a sauce pan over low heat.
Stir in the condensed milk and vanilla.
Let sit for about ten minutes and then stir again and turn off heat. Make sure all the marshmallows and chocolate are melted completely.
Pour the chocolate and marshmallow mix into the pie crust and sprinkle with the remaining graham crackers.
Banana Cream Pie
large box instant banana pudding (for a fuller pie, use 2)
2 1/2 cups milk
whipped cream
1 or 2 ripe bananas
Mix pudding and milk. Slice banana(s) into 1/4" slices.
Line bottom of pie crust with banana slices.
Pour pudding into pie crust.
Top with whipped cream.
Gently lay banana slices on top in an appetizing pattern.
Sundae Pie
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 small jar Smucker’s strawberry topping
1 package chocolate sundae syrup
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
whipped cream
Maraschino cherries
In a mixing bowl, stir slightly softened ice cream until smooth. Spoon the ice cream into the pie crust and cover with another pie pan (or the inverted plastic lid if the crust is store-bought). Place the pie in the freezer for several hours, until the ice cream hardens.
Remove the pie from the freezer and let stand for 10 minutes to soften. Spoon Smucker's Strawberry Topping onto serving plate. Cut pie and place slice on plate. Garnish generously with Smucker's Chocolate Sundae Syrup, and other toppings as desired. Return unused portion to freezer.
Butterfinger Pie
4 cups vanilla ice cream
3 tbsp corn syrup
3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp milk
1 (2.1-ounce) Butterfinger candy bar -- chopped
Remove ice cream from freezer and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften.
Spoon half of ice cream into prepared crust.
Combine the corn syrup, peanut butter, and milk in a small bowl, stirring until smooth.
Drizzle half of the peanut butter mixture over the ice cream in crust.
Sprinkle with half of chopped candy bar.
Repeat the procedure with remaining ice cream, peanut butter mixture, and candy bar.
Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 3 hours or until firm.
Peppermint Stick Pie
4 1/2 cups Rice Crispies
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2 quarts peppermint stick or other mint ice cream
chocolate fudge topping
Crushed peppermint candies
For the crust: Combine cereal and chocolate; mix well. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Freeze for 5 minutes.
Spoon ice cream into crust. Cover and freeze at least 2 hours.
Before serving, garnish with chocolate topping and peppermint candies.
Black Russian Pie
24 lg. marshmallows (or 2 ½ cups small marshmallows)
1/3 cup Kahlua
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup cold milk
Pinch of salt
Melt marshmallows with milk in microwave, stirring occasionally. Place in freezer to thicken.
Stir in Kahlua. Beat cream until stiff and fold into mixture.
Pour into pie crust.
Chill 30 minutes. Freeze, if need be.
Angel Cheesecake Pie
1/3 cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg yolk
12 oz. softened cream cheese
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg white
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
Combine 1/3 cup sugar, gelatin and salt in medium saucepan. Blend in egg yolk and milk and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and blend in cream cheese, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.
Chill in refrigerator until mixture is thickened, but not set. Beat egg white until soft peaks form, then beat in 2 Tbsp. sugar and beat until stiff. Beat cream with powdered sugar until thick. Fold egg whites and cream into cream cheese mixture. Spoon into cooked cookie crust and chill before serving.
White Chocolate Raspberry Pie
Filling:
1 2/3 cups milk
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 (3-oz.) pkg. vanilla pudding and pie filling mix (not instant)
3/4 cup white vanilla milk chips
1 cup whipping cream
Topping:
2 cups fresh raspberries
1/4 cup white vanilla milk chips
2 tsp oil
Blind bake pie crust.
In medium heavy saucepan, combine milk and gelatin; mix well.
Let stand 5 minutes.
Stir in pudding mix. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
Add 3/4 cup vanilla milk chips to pudding mixture; stir until melted.
Place plastic wrap over surface of pudding and refrigerate 1 hour to cool.
In small bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
Fold 1/3 of whipped cream into cooled pudding mixture.
Fold in remaining whipping cream.
Spoon pudding mixture into cooled baked pie shell; spread evenly.
Place raspberries on filling. In small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup vanilla milk chips and oil over very low heat until melted, stirring constantly until smooth. Drizzle over raspberries. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until serving time.
Fluffernutter Pie
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
2 cup whipped cream
In medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup cold water and gelatin; let stand 1 minute.
Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Remove from heat.
Stir in sugar, vanilla and remaining water.
Beat in peanut butter and Fluff.
Chill until mixture mounds when dropped from spoon.
Fold in whipped cream.
Turn into crust; chill until set.
Strawberry Jell-O Pie
1 small package dry strawberry Jell-O
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 qt (or more) fresh strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Mix together dry strawberry Jell-O, sugar, and cornstarch.
Slowly add boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
Let cool.
Add strawberries.
Pour into pie crust.
Chill in refrigerator until firm
Peanut Butter Chocolate Pudding Pie
1 1 large box (5.25 oz) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix.
8 oz sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1 pkg peanut butter chips
2 tbsp vegetable oil
12 oz jar chocolate fudge topping
Whisk together pudding mix, sour cream & milk; set aside
Heat 1 1/3 cups peanut butter chips and oil in microwave-safe bowl on High
for 45 seconds.
Stir until smooth then gradually add to pudding mixture.
Spread evenly into crust.
Spread chocolate fudge topping over pie.
Cover & refrigerate 3 hours.
Prior to serving top with remaining peanut butter chips.
submitted by Rhonda W.
Rhubarb Custard Pie
1 Basic 9" Pie Crust (unbaked)
1 pound rhubarb (trimmed, rinsed, and cut into 1/4 inch slices)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar, and flour.
Pour into pie crust.
Lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the sour cream, remaining sugar, and vanilla.
Spoon the egg mixture over the rhubarb mixture.
Bake 45-50 minutes, until the filling bubbles in the center.
“Man needs difficulties; they are necessary for health.”
Carl Jung
