# Custard pie help



## rabajara (Mar 31, 2019)

Here is another question for all of you bakers. I made my first Custard Pie. I wanted it to have flour or cornstarch for a thickener and some butter for smoothness. I use 2 1/2 cups of scalded milk ( as some says you don't have to do that today) 2/3 cups of sugar. 1 tea vanilla, 3 whole beaten eggs. 2 1/2 flour (self rising) 2 tablespoon butter added to milk. Of course nutmeg. Cook according to directions over 1 1/2 hr on 350 degrees. The person I made it for said it tasted to eggie and needed more sugar and nutmeg. MY nutmeg I had on hand for a while, it could have lost some of it flavoring. Now can anyone tell me how to make one that would taste great? Now to practice making apple pies, trying to get a business of making pies started. According to HD as of now I can cook at home as long as I don't take it to a Catered event as they are invited guests. Law passed last year.


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## Vjan (Jan 18, 2018)

Did you follow a recipe for the custard, or look up different recipes for it and compare them?
The beginning of your post you say you wanted it to have flour or corn starch but towards the ending of the post you say cook "according to directions". 
Slightly confuse me as to if you used a recipe.
When I have made custards in the past, I have used some corn starch, but if you want a true and rich custard, the eggs are the thickener and the amount of corn starch you need is minimum in comparison to other ingredients.
It may also depend on the milk you use. 1%, 2%, or whole.

I am not a baker, this is just from my previous experience.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

For one thing, if you're going to thicken a custard with flour, for god's sake, don't use self rising! It has leavener and salt in it, which will provide an off taste. And like Vjan said, most custards use the properties of the egg for thickening and depend less on other thickeners like starches and flours. But they are used. Also, you said, "2 1/2 flour". 2 1/2 what? Tablespoons? Teaspoons? 
Regarding the person that said it "tasted eggy"....I don't know what to say to that, because custards ARE eggy. I'm not sure if you used a custard recipe that was already written or you just winged it, but custards are pretty simple. If you need to add more sugar and nutmeg, then add more sugar and nutmeg. 

Personally, I like my custards really rich and creamy. My creme brulees use yolk only and heavy cream and they're freaking delicious. None of those whole eggs and milk for me.


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

I use sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. Yolks go in strait but the whites are beaten-up first. I never use white sugar for anything ... turbanado all the way. I always thought that flour makes an egg-custard nasty. I would stick with the corn-starch.


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## rabajara (Mar 31, 2019)

Vjan said:


> Did you follow a recipe for the custard, or look up different recipes for it and compare them?
> The beginning of your post you say you wanted it to have flour or corn starch but towards the ending of the post you say cook "according to directions".
> Slightly confuse me as to if you used a recipe.
> When I have made custards in the past, I have used some corn starch, but if you want a true and rich custard, the eggs are the thickener and the amount of corn starch you need is minimum in comparison to other ingredients.
> ...


I did have a recipe, but I added flour because a lot of reviews said their pie was runny. I was hoping the eggs would thicken the pie. I use whole milk. I might have baked the pie to long. When I looked at it, there was still a lot of bubbling. Thanks for you help.


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## Vjan (Jan 18, 2018)

rabajara said:


> I did have a recipe, but I added flour because a lot of reviews said their pie was runny. I was hoping the eggs would thicken the pie. I use whole milk. I might have baked the pie to long. When I looked at it, there was still a lot of bubbling. Thanks for you help.


I'm thinking if the reviews on the pie were claiming it was runny, then the proportions are off on the recipe. Not your fault.
As far as baking the pie too long, it is possible. corn starch will break if over heated. 
I would say try another recipe.


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## rabajara (Mar 31, 2019)

If anyone has a good recipe for Custard Pie, I would appreciate it. I use flour instead of cornstarch, as I have read it will break down, but I think I over cooked the custard.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

Here is the custard recipe I use. Looks like you were short an egg. Also, you don't need flour or cornstarch for this if you follow
the instructions and do it right.

1 1/2 cups milk (anything from skim to whole, your choice)
1 cup cream (heavy, whipping, light, or half & half, your choice)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
*NOTE: If you use a high fat milk, like half and half or heavy cream, you don't need any butter.

Use whatever crust, whether it's a graham cracker crust or a pre-baked shell.
Heat oven to 300F 

To make the filling: Start by combining the milk, cream, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Heat the mixture until small bubbles form around the edges, and steam starts to wisp from the surface; this is how you "scald" milk, if you've ever seen that technique mentioned.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Pour 1/4 of the hot milk/cream over the egg mixture, stirring well. Pour the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk/cream, stirring well. Pour the custard through a sieve, to strain out any possible bits of cooked egg. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the hot filling into the baked, cooled crust. Sprinkle the nutmeg evenly over the top. Cover the edges of the pie with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
Place the pie onto your oven's middle rack and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the custard is set at the edges but still a bit wobbly in the center. The temperature of the pie at the center should be between 170°F and 180°F.
Remove the pie from the oven, and place it on a rack to cool. When it's completely cool, refrigerate until you're ready to serve.


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## rabajara (Mar 31, 2019)

chefpeon said:


> For one thing, if you're going to thicken a custard with flour, for god's sake, don't use self rising! It has leavener and salt in it, which will provide an off taste. And like Vjan said, most custards use the properties of the egg for thickening and depend less on other thickeners like starches and flours. But they are used. Also, you said, "2 1/2 flour". 2 1/2 what? Tablespoons? Teaspoons?
> Regarding the person that said it "tasted eggy"....I don't know what to say to that, because custards ARE eggy. I'm not sure if you used a custard recipe that was already written or you just winged it, but custards are pretty simple. If you need to add more sugar and nutmeg, then add more sugar and nutmeg.
> 
> Personally, I like my custards really rich and creamy. My creme brulees use yolk only and heavy cream and they're freaking delicious. None of those whole eggs and milk for me.


Thank you very much. I have had Crème Brulees and they were eggy to me. So I never messed with Custard Pies. But I will, and learn from all of you on how it is done. Now does any of you have trouble with the store bought eggs today. To me the yoke breaks to easy and most of the time the egg whites are to runny. Some will have texture and thick. Something is wrong with them today. Back in the middle 80's I did a lot of pies and never had one to get all syrupy on me, only beading and some shrinking. Made 2 chocolate pies yesterday and they were running syrup out while still in oven. I have tried overcooked, undercooked, more sugar, less sugar. Everything I have seen on youtube and in recipes. Nothing is working right. Farm fresh eggs browned a lot better and there was no weeping only beading after cooling for a while. I am at my wits end.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

rabajara said:


> Thank you very much. I have had Crème Brulees and they were eggy to me. So I never messed with Custard Pies. But I will, and learn from all of you on how it is done. Now does any of you have trouble with the store bought eggs today. To me the yoke breaks to easy and most of the time the egg whites are to runny. Some will have texture and thick. Something is wrong with them today. Back in the middle 80's I did a lot of pies and never had one to get all syrupy on me, only beading and some shrinking. Made 2 chocolate pies yesterday and they were running syrup out while still in oven. I have tried overcooked, undercooked, more sugar, less sugar. Everything I have seen on youtube and in recipes. Nothing is working right. Farm fresh eggs browned a lot better and there was no weeping only beading after cooling for a while. I am at my wits end.


Don't be blamin' the eggs for your pies. It's not the eggs. Egg age/freshness really has very little effect in any baking application (unless of course it's an obviously BAD egg, which you'll know immediately). And, ironically, I prefer to use eggs that are on the "older" side, as older whites whip up better. The only time I prefer to use eggs on the fresher side is when I'm cooking breakfast. Less broken yolks....easier to cook to order.

I'm not sure exactly what you're doing regarding all the trouble you're having with custard pies, but from your description it sounds like overbaking. Maybe you should review your custard techniques. Here's a good place to start. https://pastrychefonline.com/making-custard/


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## rabajara (Mar 31, 2019)

chefpeon said:


> Don't be blamin' the eggs for your pies. It's not the eggs. Egg age/freshness really has very little effect in any baking application (unless of course it's an obviously BAD egg, which you'll know immediately). And, ironically, I prefer to use eggs that are on the "older" side, as older whites whip up better. The only time I prefer to use eggs on the fresher side is when I'm cooking breakfast. Less broken yolks....easier to cook to order.
> 
> I'm not sure exactly what you're doing regarding all the trouble you're having with custard pies, but from your description it sounds like overbaking. Maybe you should review your custard techniques. Here's a good place to start. https://pastrychefonline.com/making-custard/


Thank you.


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