INGREDIENTS
5 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 cups whole milk
1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
1 9-inch deep dish pie crust, prebaked
Freshly grated nutmeg
PREPARATION
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk and heavy whipping cream until it begins to froth around the edges. Slowly whisk the scalded milk-and-cream mixture into the egg mixture, adding the mixture in small amounts so that the hot liquid does not cook the eggs. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the mixture into another large bowl. Discard the solids.
• Pour the custard into the prebaked pie shell. Lightly sprinkle the custard with freshly grated nutmeg. Bake 45 minutes, then transfer the pie to a wire rack and let sit 10 minutes to cool slightly. Refrigerate until completely set, about 4 to 6 hours. The pie will keep, refrigerated, up to 2 days.
This article appears in Readers’ Choice 2014.