Cooking Lesson #459: Old-Fashioned Texas Buttermilk Pie

​…from the California Kitchen

How you doin’? There is a very large variety of custard-style pies recipes available. One reason may be is that they are so darn good and so simple to make. Just toss a few ingredients in a bowl with some eggs and buttermilk, mix away and pour into an unbaked pie crust—preferably homemade.
 
That brings me to the subject of buttermilk. I have a lot of recipes that call for buttermilk. The problem is that they only call for half cup or one cup and then I have the rest of the quart to deal with. Don’t get me wrong, I love cooking and baking with buttermilk, but I find it undrinkable, and I hate to throw any food away after it spoils, so I always consider baking a Buttermilk Pie.
 
Buttermilk Pie is believed to have originated in England. The recipe was brought to the United States by Southern settlers. It was predominately made in Texas where they were very resourceful with buttermilk because it was in abundance and inexpensive.
 
When you hear the name of this pie, you may wonder (and you wouldn’t be alone), does it really taste like buttermilk? No, the buttermilk creates the creamy texture and adds a little depth to the flavors of the spices.
 
I use just a dash of nutmeg, cinnamon and a little vanilla extract in making this old-fashioned version. It comes from an old recipe that I found and just had to try. I really think you’ll like it.
 
Ready to give my Buttermilk Pie a try? Alright then, let’s get some flour on your apron and start baking!
 
Prep time:  10 minutes (not including the time to make a homemade crust)
Bake time:  40 to 60 minutes
Yield:  1–9-inch pie / 8-servings
 
Ingredients 
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. In a large bowl use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and egg yolk until frothy; about 5 minutes.
3. Add the butter, sugar and flour to the egg mixture and beat until smooth.
4. Hand-stir in the buttermilk, vanilla, lemon juice and nutmeg to make the custard. Also, add in the optional lemon zest and cinnamon if using.
5. Pour the custard into the unbaked pie shell.
6. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until the center is firm.
7. All leftover custard pies, like Buttermilk Pie,  should be refrigerated.

ChefSecret:  For a richer custard, I always add an extra egg yolk to any custard or custard pie recipe. This works well for French toast and rice pudding recipes, too.

Quip of the Day: “I am so confused. If Mr. & Mrs. Potato are no longer male and female, where are all the tater tots going to come from?”
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