Bake-Along #6: Cream Pie Variations

So many ways to customize this pie to your exact taste! For tips and to bake-along live, just follow along with the video.

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 60 - 75 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Cream Pie Base Recipe:

Crust:

1 and 1/2 cups crumbs (about 10 sleeves of any flavor graham cracker or use vanilla wafers!)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

6 T unsalted butter, melted

Fillings:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 and 3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 t salt

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 t vanilla extract

2 T unsalted butter, softened

Flavorings: bring along coconut or bananas or cocoa powder or peanut butter or berries?? Choose your adventure!

Whipped Cream:

1 and 1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 cup powdered sugar

(Or bring your canned or frozen cream! No judgment here)

1. For the crust: whisk together the granulated sugar and crumbs. Slowly incorporated melted butter and mix until combined.

2. Press your crust into a pie pan (or any pan! Just don't go large than a 9 x 9 inch pan). Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer or feel free to bake yours if you'd like, 8 - 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

3. Put heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and salt into a medium-sized sauce pan.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch (if you're using cocoa powder, add it in here! Use somewhere between 2 T and a 1/4 cup, make sure you don't use more than that).

5. Get your 2 T unsalted butter cubed.

6. Put the saucepan over low heat, just until it is simmering. (You shouldn't see bubbles on the surface, but it will be steaming a little and will be hot). Your sugar should be dissolved. If you want to follow along during the cooking portion, start the video at the 22:28 mark.

7. Drizzle about 1/2 a cup of the simmering mixture into your egg mixture, ensuring you are whisking the entire time. You don't want to cook the eggs prematurely or unevenly! Once you've tempered the egg yolks, pour the entire mixture back into your pan, whisking the entire time.

8. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it is thickened, 1 -3 minutes. To check out my pudding's consistency, head to the 26:24 mark.

9. If you have a fine mesh strainer, strain your pudding mixture to rid it of any bits of cooked egg. If you don't have one, don't sweat it!

10. Place your custard into a bowl and add your cubed butter, stirring until it is melted. Then add the vanilla extract, as well as any flavorings. I used peanut butter. If you're using chunks of chocolate, throw those in here too to melt. Stir it all in until incorporated. For more on this, check out the 29:00 mark.

11. If you brought fresh fruit to the scene, I talk about a few options at the 30:00 mark. You can layer them on the bottom or decorate with it on top.

12. Allow the pudding to cool for a few minutes before putting it into prepare pie crust. Make sure you press a layer of plastic to the top of the pudding so it doesn't form a skin.

13. Once cooled, layer your fillings if you have any and pour the pudding into the crust.

14. Press another layer of plastic on top of the filling and them wrap the entire pie.Allow to rest in the refrigerator for 4 hours to set.

15. Whip together your cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and top just before serving.

16. Most importantly: enjoy!

Notes:

If your pie plate isn't large enough for all of the filling, just put the leftovers in a bowl, pressing plastic wrap into the top of the filling so it doesn't form a skin, and enjoy within a week!