Spiced Custard Pie With Sesame Crust Recipes

CITRUS CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disk of dough into a circle about ¼-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate, preferably ceramic, and press it in lightly, making sure it's lining the plate.
• Trim so that there's about ½ inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Dock the base and sides all over with a fork and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
• Place a rack on the bottom shelf of the oven, and place a baking stone, if you have one, on the rack. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Use a small brush to evenly paint egg wash on the edge of the crust. Cut a square of parchment paper and use it to line the crust. Fill with pie weights (or dried beans) up to the top edge. Place the plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, placing it directly on the baking stone if using. Bake crust until the outer edge is just starting to turn golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and pie weights, and continue to bake until the base appears set, 2 to 4 minutes more. If the dough puffs up anywhere, you can puncture it with a fork. Cool the crust completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Make the filling: Whisk the sugar, flour, ginger and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Add the milk, cream, extracts and zest and whisk well to combine. Transfer the pie plate to the prepared baking sheet. Pour the custard into the crust.
• Transfer the baking sheet back to the oven, placing it directly on the baking stone if using. Bake until the crust is evenly golden brown and the custard appears set around the outer edge, 40 to 45 minutes; the center of the pie may still be jiggly, like pumpkin pie or cheesecake, but it will firm up as it cools. Let cool completely at room temperature on a rack.
• Make the topping: Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar to medium peaks. Scoop on top of the pie and spread in an even layer. Chill the pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, peel each piece of fruit using a vegetable peeler. (Peeling in a spiral fashion around the fruit can help you get longer pieces of zest.) Use a sharp paring knife to trim away the rough edges, and then cut thin strips from the trimmed zest.
• Arrange the zest on top of the whipped cream, arranging the colors randomly and overlapping some pieces. The pie is best the day it is made; store leftovers in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

TWO-TONE GINGER CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disk of dough into a circle about ¼-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate, preferably ceramic, and press it in lightly, making sure it's lining the plate.
• Trim so that there's about ½ inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Dock the base and sides all over with a fork and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
• Place a rack on the bottom shelf of the oven, and place a baking stone, if you have one, on the rack. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Use a small brush to evenly paint egg wash on the edge of the crust. Cut a square of parchment paper and use it to line the crust. Fill with pie weights (or dried beans) up to the top edge. Place the plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, placing it directly on the baking stone if using. Bake crust until the outer edge is just starting to turn golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and pie weights, and continue to bake until the base appears set, 2 to 4 minutes more. If the dough puffs up anywhere, you can puncture it with a fork. Cool the crust completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Make the filling: Whisk the granulated sugar and flour in a medium bowl to combine. Add the brown sugar and whisk to combine, breaking up clumps with the whisk or your fingers. Add the ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and salt and whisk to combine.
• Add the milk, cream and vanilla and whisk well to combine. Transfer the pie plate to the prepared baking sheet. Pour the custard into the crust.
• Transfer the baking sheet back to the oven, placing it directly on the baking stone if using. Bake until the crust is evenly golden brown and the custard appears set around the outer edge, 43 to 48 minutes; the center of the pie may still be jiggly, like pumpkin pie or cheesecake, but it will firm up as it cools. Let pie cool completely at room temperature on a rack.
• Make the topping: Use a food processor to grind the freeze-dried mango into a fine powder, or seal it in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer to a small bowl, and whisk in 2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar. Wipe out the food processor or use another plastic bag and repeat with the freeze-dried strawberries. Transfer to a small bowl, and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.
• Place an 8 ½-by-11-inch piece of paper over the surface of the pie, leaving half of it exposed. Use a small sifter to sift the mango sugar onto the exposed surface of the pie. Carefully remove the paper, then cover the part of the pie sprinkled with mango sugar. Tap out the small sifter and use it to sift the strawberry sugar over the other side. Carefully remove the paper. If you like, brush any excess powder off the crust. (Save the remaining sugar in airtight containers for another use, such as dusting on baked goods.) It's best to apply the sugar within 2 hours of serving. The pie is best eaten the day it's made; store leftovers in the refrigerator.

PUMPKIN PIE WITH SPICED CRUST

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and allspice in a food processor to combine. Add the butter; pulse several times until it looks like coarse meal. Add the vinegar and 1/4 cup ice water; pulse a few more times until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap; press into a disk and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate, pressing the dough into the bottom and up the side. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp with your fingers or a fork. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Put a baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line the crust with foil, then fill with pie weights or dried beans. Transfer to the hot baking sheet and bake until lightly golden around the edge, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the crust is golden all over, about 10 more minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely; leave the baking sheet in the oven.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Pour into the cooled crust and return to the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake until set around the edge but the center still jiggles slightly, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer to the rack and let cool completely.
• Make the whipped cream: Beat the heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the pie with the whipped cream.