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Strawberry Custard Pie

Source of Recipe

From "The Good Home Cookbook" by Richard Perry


Recipe Introduction

"If you want an extraordinary pie, look no further than this outstanding strawberry pie. It has a topping made of broiled brown sugar, much like the crème brûlée served at fancy restaurants, and its filling is flavored with 'kirsch.' Kirsch is a brandy distilled from cherries and their pits. It adds an aromatic quality to the filling."

List of Ingredients

Crust:
â—¦ ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened
â—¦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ 2 tablespoons milk
â—¦ 1 tablespoon sugar

Filling:
â—¦ 2 cups (1 pint) hulled and sliced strawberries
â—¦ ½ cup sugar
â—¦ 3 tablespoons kirsch
â—¦ 1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ 6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
â—¦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
â—¦ 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

To make the crust, use a fork to mix the butter, flour, salt, milk, and sugar in a medium bowl until well blended; the mixture should be crumbly. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm. Set aside to cool.

To make the filling, lightly toss the strawberries with ¼ cup of sugar and the kirsch in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Pour the heavy cream into the top of a double boiler set over boiling water. Stir in the salt and remaining ¼ cup sugar. When the sugar has completely melted, gradually stir in the egg yolks and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool.

Drain the berries and spoon into the baked pie crust. Pour the cooled cream mixture over the top and chill well, about 2 hours.

Preheat the broiler.
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the pie and place under the broiler. Broil for 5 minutes, until the sugar melts and forms a top crust. Serve immediately.


Serves 6 to 8