BUTTERMILK CUSTARD PIE

Buttermilk Custard Pie

Mr. B's Bistro - New Orleans

Bon AppetitJune 1987

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Pastry:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) well-chilled unsalted
butter, cut into pieces
2 eggs

Filling:
4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Warm Buttermilk Sauce (recipe follows)

For pastry: Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder
and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter until coarse meal forms. Add eggs
and mix until dough gathers together. Form into ball; flatten to disc.
Wrap dough and refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface
to 1/8-inch-thick round. Transfer to 9-inch pie pan. Trim edges and flute. Line pastry with parchment or foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake until dough is set, about 10 minutes. Remove beans and paper and continue baking until crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove
crust from oven and increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

For filling: Beat yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Combine sugar
and flour; gradually beat into eggs. Mix in butter. Dissolve baking soda
in buttermilk; add to egg mixture. Stir in fresh lemon juice and vanilla.
Pour filling into crust. Bake 8 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to
350 degrees F. and bake until knife inserted into center of filling
comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Serve with the Warm Buttermilk Sauce. Serves 8.

Warm Buttermilk Sauce
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3 egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar

Combine buttermilk, whipping cream, cornstarch, cinnamon stick and nutmeg in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, whisking constantly; mixture may appear curdled. Whisk yolks with sugar in medium bowl until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually whisk in buttermilk mixture. Transfer
to top of double boiler set over boiling water. Whisk until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 15 minutes; do not boil. Strain. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Reheat in top
of double boiler, stirring frequently.) Serve warm. Makes about 2 cups