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Slice of silky custard pie on a plate with the full pie in the background.
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Custard Pie Recipe

Creamy egg custard pie in a flaky all-butter crust. Silky smooth and full of flavor.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Chill Time4 hours
Total Time5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 slices

Ingredients

  • 1 (1) Unbaked Pie Crust, 9-inch, deep dish. Homemade or store-bought.
  • 4 (4) Large Eggs
  • 1 (1) Large Egg, separated - use the white for the pie crust and the yolk for the custard filling.
  • 300 ml (1¼ cups) Heavy Cream, (Double cream in the UK)
  • 300 ml (1¼ cups) Whole Milk
  • 150 g (¾ cup) Granulated Sugar, (Caster sugar in the UK)
  • 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoon) Vanilla Bean Paste, or vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) Nutmeg, ground or freshly grated

Instructions

Blind-bake the Pie Crust Until Par-baked

  • Blind-bake the pie crust until par-baked, using my guide on how to blind bake a pie crust.
    When you reach the egg wash step, use lightly whisked egg white instead of the standard egg wash suggested in the post. This will create a much better seal to stop the filling from making the crust soggy.
    Brush a very thin layer over the base and inside sides of the crust, then return the crust to the oven and continue baking until par-baked (dry and lightly golden all over).

Make the Custard Filling

  • Set the oven temperature to 325°F / 160°C (140° fan).
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and salt.
    Whisk gently just until combined - don't try to incorporate any air into the mixture.
  • Add the heavy cream and milk to a saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is scalding (you can see steam rising from it and tiny bubbles on the surface). Don't let it boil.
  • Slowly pour the hot milk and cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. This warms the eggs gradually to prevent them from scrambling.
    If you are not confident pouring and whisking at the same time, you can just pour in a little at a time, whisking in between.
  • Add the vanilla and mix it in.
  • Pour the custard mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large jug or bowl with a spout to remove any lumps of coagulated egg.
    Then tap the jug firmly on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
  • Carefully pour the custard filling into the par-baked crust.
    The filling is very liquid, so it's easiest to do this on a pulled-out oven rack, or right beside the oven to avoid carrying the filled pie across the kitchen.
    Sprinkle the top of the pie generously with nutmeg, then close the oven and bake.
  • Bake the pie for 40-50 minutes. Baking time can vary massively, so it's better to judge by how the pie looks, rather than the timer.
    After 35 minutes, tap the pie dish gently and watch how the filling moves.
    When custard pie is properly baked, the outer 1-2 inches of pie will be set and firm, but the middle will still jiggle. If it is sloshing around like it's fully liquid, it needs longer.
    It will still look slightly underdone when you take it out, but trust the process!
  • Remove the custard pie from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours - preferably overnight.

Notes

I recommend making homemade pie dough from scratch, but if you don't want to make it from scratch, you can buy a store-bought pie crust. It should be 9 inches and deep dish. 
Eggs - Use large eggs in the US or medium eggs in the UK (our eggs are bigger).