Over the years I have tried so many techniques for baking a custard pie
that I've probably forgotten most of them. Notable among them is the
"slipped custard" method where the crust and filling are baked separately,
the filling being "slipped" into the shell after both are cool. While this
does produce a flaky pastry and a properly set custard, I personally don't
like it and won't make it that way again. I've also tried most of the
temperature variations but all that I tried produced unacceptable results.

My pastry recipe and technique produces such a flaky pastry that it bubbles
up into the custard, often reaching the surface, in various places
throughout the pie. This is obviously unacceptable. Apparently the weight
of the thin custard isn't heavy enough to keep the crust down. If I
partially pre-bake the crust, the filling tends to dissolve the flaky
pastry on the bottom and leak between crust and pan.

A recipe and technique I tried this afternoon, however, finally resulted in
a pie that worked and is very good.

I made my usual pastry, fitted into a metal pie pan. The edge of the
pastry was shielded with foil.

The proportion of ingredients in the filling was not remarkable, however,
the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt were gently beaten together.
Next, the cream and milk were combined and scalded, then quickly combined
with the egg mixture and poured into the raw pastry.

High temperature baking is the departure from all the traditional recipes.
The oven was preheated to 475°F. The pie was baked for 5 minutes, then the
temperature was reduced to 425°F. The pie was baked for an additional 20
minutes until the filling was firm, but just barely shaky. The result was
a perfectly baked crust and a properly firm filling wihtout over baking.

It would seem that the very high initial temperature quickly sets the
crust and prevents it from bubbling up into the filling, then the slightly
reduced temperature continues baking the crust to doneness without it
becoming soggy. The pre-warmed filling sets more quickly, and the overall
baking time is significantly less than more traditional methods.

The high temperatures fly in the face of virtually every custard pie recipe
I've ever seen, but it seems to the job, and properly.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> My pastry recipe and technique produces such a flaky pastry that it bubbles
> up into the custard, often reaching the surface, in various places
> throughout the pie. This is obviously unacceptable. Apparently the weight
> of the thin custard isn't heavy enough to keep the crust down. If I
> partially pre-bake the crust, the filling tends to dissolve the flaky
> pastry on the bottom and leak between crust and pan.
>

I fix the leaky bottom (or side) crust problem by blind baking the
crust AFTER brushing it with slightly beaten egg yolk. The yolk seems
to seal it nicely without destroying its flakiness.

N.

On Fri 11 Nov 2005 07:44:48a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Nancy1?

>
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> My pastry recipe and technique produces such a flaky pastry that it
>> bubbles up into the custard, often reaching the surface, in various
>> places throughout the pie. This is obviously unacceptable. Apparently
>> the weight of the thin custard isn't heavy enough to keep the crust
>> down. If I partially pre-bake the crust, the filling tends to dissolve
>> the flaky pastry on the bottom and leak between crust and pan.
>>
>
> I fix the leaky bottom (or side) crust problem by blind baking the
> crust AFTER brushing it with slightly beaten egg yolk. The yolk seems
> to seal it nicely without destroying its flakiness.
>
> N.

Thanks, Nancy. I may give egg yolk a try. I have tried using slightly
beaten egg white which proved to be ineffective.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

On 11 Nov 2005 17:51:50 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

>On Fri 11 Nov 2005 07:44:48a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Nancy1?
>
>>
>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>> My pastry recipe and technique produces such a flaky pastry that it
>>> bubbles up into the custard, often reaching the surface, in various
>>> places throughout the pie. This is obviously unacceptable. Apparently
>>> the weight of the thin custard isn't heavy enough to keep the crust
>>> down. If I partially pre-bake the crust, the filling tends to dissolve
>>> the flaky pastry on the bottom and leak between crust and pan.
>>>
>>
>> I fix the leaky bottom (or side) crust problem by blind baking the
>> crust AFTER brushing it with slightly beaten egg yolk. The yolk seems
>> to seal it nicely without destroying its flakiness.
>>
>> N.
>
>Thanks, Nancy. I may give egg yolk a try. I have tried using slightly
>beaten egg white which proved to be ineffective.
>
Thanks to both of you for the 411. If I didn't already have so much
stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:

> If I didn't already have so much
> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie

I'm in the mood for quiche!

Curly Sue wrote:
> On 11 Nov 2005 17:51:50 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
> > wrote:
>
> >On Fri 11 Nov 2005 07:44:48a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Nancy1?
> >
> >>
> >> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> >>> My pastry recipe and technique produces such a flaky pastry that it
> >>> bubbles up into the custard, often reaching the surface, in various
> >>> places throughout the pie. This is obviously unacceptable. Apparently
> >>> the weight of the thin custard isn't heavy enough to keep the crust
> >>> down. If I partially pre-bake the crust, the filling tends to dissolve
> >>> the flaky pastry on the bottom and leak between crust and pan.
> >>>
> >>
> >> I fix the leaky bottom (or side) crust problem by blind baking the
> >> crust AFTER brushing it with slightly beaten egg yolk. The yolk seems
> >> to seal it nicely without destroying its flakiness.
> >>
> >> N.
> >
> >Thanks, Nancy. I may give egg yolk a try. I have tried using slightly
> >beaten egg white which proved to be ineffective.
> >
> Thanks to both of you for the 411. If I didn't already have so much
> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
>
> Sue(tm)

There used to be a pie-baker in Marshalltown, Iowa (home of the best
Maid-Rites in the world) named Queenie, who made custard pies for the
MR there - she always sprinkled some Grape-Nuts in the bottom of the
crust before filling it, and I still do that today. It just adds a
little something.

N.

sf wrote:
> On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
>
> > If I didn't already have so much
> > stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
> > upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
>
> I'm in the mood for quiche!

Made that last weekend - one for now, one for the freezer - and then my
grandson's mom called and said she was powerful-hankerin' for a quiche,
so it's going over to her house tonight. Drat, now I have to make two
more! LOL.

N.

On Fri 11 Nov 2005 11:11:50a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Curly Sue?

> On 11 Nov 2005 17:51:50 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
> > wrote:
>
>>On Fri 11 Nov 2005 07:44:48a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Nancy1?
>>
>>>
>>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>>> My pastry recipe and technique produces such a flaky pastry that it
>>>> bubbles up into the custard, often reaching the surface, in various
>>>> places throughout the pie. This is obviously unacceptable.
>>>> Apparently the weight of the thin custard isn't heavy enough to keep
>>>> the crust down. If I partially pre-bake the crust, the filling tends
>>>> to dissolve the flaky pastry on the bottom and leak between crust and
>>>> pan.
>>>>
>>>
>>> I fix the leaky bottom (or side) crust problem by blind baking the
>>> crust AFTER brushing it with slightly beaten egg yolk. The yolk seems
>>> to seal it nicely without destroying its flakiness.
>>>
>>> N.
>>
>>Thanks, Nancy. I may give egg yolk a try. I have tried using slightly
>>beaten egg white which proved to be ineffective.
>>
> Thanks to both of you for the 411. If I didn't already have so much
> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie

You're welcome. Well, maybe apres-holiday.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

sf wrote:

> I'm in the mood for quiche!

....simply because you're near me...


Bob

On Fri 11 Nov 2005 11:18:27a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it sf?

> On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
>
>> If I didn't already have so much
>> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
>> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
>
> I'm in the mood for quiche!

I love quiche and haven't made one in far too long. I've never had the
problem with quiche that I used to have with custard pie, I suppose because
of the added heavier ingredients.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 10:18:27 -0800, sf >
wrote:

>On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
>
>> If I didn't already have so much
>> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
>> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
>
>I'm in the mood for quiche!

I've been making a crustless quiche (one of those Bisquick
"Impossibles"). It's a good, quick dinner and the only way the
Resident College Student will eat spinach.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

"Curly Sue" > wrote

> I've been making a crustless quiche (one of those Bisquick
> "Impossibles"). It's a good, quick dinner and the only way the
> Resident College Student will eat spinach.

Crustless, yet there's Bisquick involved? Can you describe
it?

nancy

On Fri 11 Nov 2005 12:15:34p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Nancy1?

>
> Curly Sue wrote:
>> On 11 Nov 2005 17:51:50 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
>> > wrote:
>>
>> >On Fri 11 Nov 2005 07:44:48a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
>> >Nancy1?
>> >
>> >>
>> >> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> >>> My pastry recipe and technique produces such a flaky pastry that it
>> >>> bubbles up into the custard, often reaching the surface, in various
>> >>> places throughout the pie. This is obviously unacceptable.
>> >>> Apparently the weight of the thin custard isn't heavy enough to
>> >>> keep the crust down. If I partially pre-bake the crust, the
>> >>> filling tends to dissolve the flaky pastry on the bottom and leak
>> >>> between crust and pan.
>> >>>
>> >>
>> >> I fix the leaky bottom (or side) crust problem by blind baking the
>> >> crust AFTER brushing it with slightly beaten egg yolk. The yolk
>> >> seems to seal it nicely without destroying its flakiness.
>> >>
>> >> N.
>> >
>> >Thanks, Nancy. I may give egg yolk a try. I have tried using
>> >slightly beaten egg white which proved to be ineffective.
>> >
>> Thanks to both of you for the 411. If I didn't already have so much
>> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
>> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
>>
>> Sue(tm)
>
> There used to be a pie-baker in Marshalltown, Iowa (home of the best
> Maid-Rites in the world) named Queenie, who made custard pies for the
> MR there - she always sprinkled some Grape-Nuts in the bottom of the
> crust before filling it, and I still do that today. It just adds a
> little something.
>
> N.
>

That's an interesting addition. I really love Grape-Nuts. I'll have to
give that a try as well. Thanks, Nancy.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

On Fri 11 Nov 2005 12:43:36p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Curly Sue?

> On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 10:18:27 -0800, sf >
> wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
>>
>>> If I didn't already have so much
>>> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
>>> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
>>
>>I'm in the mood for quiche!
>
> I've been making a crustless quiche (one of those Bisquick
> "Impossibles"). It's a good, quick dinner and the only way the
> Resident College Student will eat spinach.

Years ago when the "crustless" craze first started I tried a few. I have
to admit it's a good, quick dinner, but I'm too enthused about the
doughiness and the lack of a real crust. Guess I'm too picky. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:59:49 -0500, "Nancy Young"
> wrote:

>
>"Curly Sue" > wrote
>
>> I've been making a crustless quiche (one of those Bisquick
>> "Impossibles"). It's a good, quick dinner and the only way the
>> Resident College Student will eat spinach.
>
>Crustless, yet there's Bisquick involved? Can you describe
>it?

It's really like a crustless quiche and it's really very good. Here's
the recipe. I like it with ham and squeezed spinach instead of the
chicken and broccoli. In fact, I just chop the cheese, ham, and onion
each separately in the food processor, then layer everything in the
pie plate (9").

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/...recipeId=34582

Impossibly Easy Chicken 'n Broccoli Pie

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
1 cup cut-up cooked chicken
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle broccoli, 1
cup of the cheese, the chicken and onion in pie plate.
2. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, salt, pepper and eggs until blended.
Pour into pie plate.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out
clean. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or
just until cheese is melted. Cool 5 minutes.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft)
Bake 35 to 40 minutes.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On 11 Nov 2005 23:52:47 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

>On Fri 11 Nov 2005 12:43:36p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Curly Sue?
>
>> On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 10:18:27 -0800, sf >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
>>>
>>>> If I didn't already have so much
>>>> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
>>>> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
>>>
>>>I'm in the mood for quiche!
>>
>> I've been making a crustless quiche (one of those Bisquick
>> "Impossibles"). It's a good, quick dinner and the only way the
>> Resident College Student will eat spinach.
>
>Years ago when the "crustless" craze first started I tried a few. I have
>to admit it's a good, quick dinner, but I'm too enthused about the
>doughiness and the lack of a real crust. Guess I'm too picky. :-)

With the original impossible pies came out you were supposed to let it
sit a while before cooking so the flour would settle out and form a
crust. This one is more like a crustless quiche, crustless-yes,
doughy-no.

I like the lack of crust for routine use because most of the calories
and fat are in the crust.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On Fri 11 Nov 2005 04:50:17p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Curly Sue?

> On 11 Nov 2005 23:52:47 +0100, Wayne Boatwright
> > wrote:
>
>>On Fri 11 Nov 2005 12:43:36p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Curly
Sue?
>>
>>> On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 10:18:27 -0800, sf >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> If I didn't already have so much
>>>>> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
>>>>> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
>>>>
>>>>I'm in the mood for quiche!
>>>
>>> I've been making a crustless quiche (one of those Bisquick
>>> "Impossibles"). It's a good, quick dinner and the only way the
>>> Resident College Student will eat spinach.
>>
>>Years ago when the "crustless" craze first started I tried a few. I have
>>to admit it's a good, quick dinner, but I'm too enthused about the
>>doughiness and the lack of a real crust. Guess I'm too picky. :-)
>
> With the original impossible pies came out you were supposed to let it
> sit a while before cooking so the flour would settle out and form a
> crust. This one is more like a crustless quiche, crustless-yes,
> doughy-no.
>
> I like the lack of crust for routine use because most of the calories
> and fat are in the crust.

But...but...that's the best part! :-)

Actually, I'll have to give the recipe you posted a try. It's been years
since I tried crustless anything. Maybe I'll be more impressed with this
one.

Thanks, Sue.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

"Curly Sue" > wrote

> On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:59:49 -0500, "Nancy Young"
> > wrote:

>>Crustless, yet there's Bisquick involved? Can you describe
>>it?
>
> It's really like a crustless quiche and it's really very good. Here's
> the recipe. I like it with ham and squeezed spinach instead of the
> chicken and broccoli. In fact, I just chop the cheese, ham, and onion
> each separately in the food processor, then layer everything in the
> pie plate (9").

Thanks! Sounds great, I'll make that.

nancy

On 11 Nov 2005 11:16:33 -0800, Nancy1 wrote:

>
> sf wrote:
> > On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
> >
> > > If I didn't already have so much
> > > stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
> > > upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
> >
> > I'm in the mood for quiche!
>
> Made that last weekend - one for now, one for the freezer - and then my
> grandson's mom called and said she was powerful-hankerin' for a quiche,
> so it's going over to her house tonight. Drat, now I have to make two
> more! LOL.
>
Oh, poor little you....

sf <laughing>

On 11 Nov 2005 20:33:54 +0100, Wayne Boatwright wrote:

> On Fri 11 Nov 2005 11:18:27a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it sf?
>
> > On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
> >
> >> If I didn't already have so much
> >> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
> >> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
> >
> > I'm in the mood for quiche!
>
> I love quiche and haven't made one in far too long. I've never had the
> problem with quiche that I used to have with custard pie, I suppose because
> of the added heavier ingredients.

Didn't someone already tell you to prebake your crust "blind"? It
doesn't mean you're cooking the crust all the way through, it just
means you're giving it a running start.

On Fri 11 Nov 2005 11:10:53p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it sf?

> On 11 Nov 2005 20:33:54 +0100, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
>> On Fri 11 Nov 2005 11:18:27a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it sf?
>>
>> > On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
>> >
>> >> If I didn't already have so much
>> >> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
>> >> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
>> >
>> > I'm in the mood for quiche!
>>
>> I love quiche and haven't made one in far too long. I've never had
>> the problem with quiche that I used to have with custard pie, I
>> suppose because of the added heavier ingredients.
>
> Didn't someone already tell you to prebake your crust "blind"? It
> doesn't mean you're cooking the crust all the way through, it just
> means you're giving it a running start.

Yes, I know what it means, and I do it for certain other pies like pumpkin
and pecan. However, the custard filling literally dissolves the flaky
crust I make if poured in over a partially baked crust. I've tried it many
times over the years, and the results are consistent. I've also tried
painting the raw pastry with beaten egg white before baking, but that has
made no difference. Beaten egg yolk was suggested, and I may try that to
see if it makes a difference.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________________________

A chicken in every pot is a *LOT* of chicken!

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 19:43:36 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:

> On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 10:18:27 -0800, sf >
> wrote:
>
> >On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 18:11:50 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:
> >
> >> If I didn't already have so much
> >> stuff around that I'm trying to clear away to make room for the
> >> upcoming holiday supplies, I'd make a custard pie
> >
> >I'm in the mood for quiche!
>
> I've been making a crustless quiche (one of those Bisquick
> "Impossibles"). It's a good, quick dinner and the only way the
> Resident College Student will eat spinach.
>
Have you ever tried making "torta"? Basically, it's a skillet style
frittata and it's a regular in my menu lineup. Spinach is very good
ingredient!

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 16:59:49 -0500, Nancy Young wrote:

>
> "Curly Sue" > wrote
>
> > I've been making a crustless quiche (one of those Bisquick
> > "Impossibles"). It's a good, quick dinner and the only way the
> > Resident College Student will eat spinach.
>
> Crustless, yet there's Bisquick involved? Can you describe
> it?
>
If I remember correctly, the "crust" rises to the top.

On 12 Nov 2005 07:39:41 +0100, Wayne Boatwright wrote:

> On Fri 11 Nov 2005 11:10:53p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it sf?
>
> > On 11 Nov 2005 20:33:54 +0100, Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> >
> >
> > Didn't someone already tell you to prebake your crust "blind"? It
> > doesn't mean you're cooking the crust all the way through, it just
> > means you're giving it a running start.
>
> Yes, I know what it means, and I do it for certain other pies like pumpkin
> and pecan. However, the custard filling literally dissolves the flaky
> crust I make if poured in over a partially baked crust. I've tried it many
> times over the years, and the results are consistent. I've also tried
> painting the raw pastry with beaten egg white before baking, but that has
> made no difference. Beaten egg yolk was suggested, and I may try that to
> see if it makes a difference.

I've never had a problem, but maybe your standards are different from
mine.