Rising up within the South, Chess Pie was a staple. It’s scrumptious any time of yr, however I particularly look ahead to it through the holidays. This simple custard pie is silky, ever so candy, and a breeze to make. Like many old school recipes, it’s stripped right down to the fundamentals with just a few easy pantry staples, which retains prices down (the entire pie is available in at beneath $5!) and helps me keep away from further grocery journeys when issues get busy. This traditional pie is clean and custardy inside, with a superbly browned prime—precisely how I prefer it.
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Outdated-Long-established Chess Pie Recipe
The traditional chess pie has been round for generations, and there are many variations relying on who you ask! My model right here makes use of easy elements like sugar, eggs, butter, and a contact of cornmeal to make a custard filling that’s wealthy and candy with a touch of texture. I additionally stir in a splash of vinegar, a conventional trick that provides tang and helps offset among the sweetness. Should you’re a pecan pie fan, you’ll love this one too! It has a wealthy, caramel-like taste, just a bit smoother and nut-free. Whether or not you’re planning your vacation desk or craving a traditional Southern deal with any day of the week, chess pie is all the time a winner IMHO.
- Parbake for a crisp crust. Giving the crust a head begin within the oven helps stop the dreaded soggy backside! For the reason that filling for chess pie may be very liquidy, I give the crust a fast parbake to assist the crust maintain up and keep flaky.
- Don’t skip docking the crust. Whenever you poke little holes within the backside of your crust with a fork (a step referred to as docking), you’re serving to steam escape so the crust doesn’t bubble up whereas pre-baking. It retains the underside good and flat, which implies your filling will sit evenly.
- Flip your oven down! I begin with a warmer oven to set the crust shortly, then decrease the temperature as soon as the filling goes in. This retains the sides from overbaking whereas the middle cooks gently.
- Each oven runs a little bit in a different way, so keep watch over your pie towards the tip of baking. You need it to have a golden prime and a slight jiggle within the middle (it’ll end setting because it cools).
Chess Pie
Value $4.24 recipe / $0.53 serving
This simple recipe for Chess Pie makes a traditional Southern dessert with a wealthy, candy custard filling and a flaky crust. A scrumptious Thanksgiving deal with!
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Collect all elements and preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
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Roll out the pie dough to about 12 inches in diameter and gently switch to a 9-inch pie plate, crimping the sides as desired.**
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Line with parchment or foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10–12 minutes till the sides begin to set. Take away weights and parchment, prick the underside calmly with a fork, and bake 2-3 extra minutes till dry. Let cool barely.***
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In a big bowl, whisk sugar, cornmeal, flour, and salt. Stir in melted butter, then beat in eggs one after the other. Combine in milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla till clean.
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Pour filling into the crust and gently faucet to launch air bubbles. Scale back the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 40-50 minutes till the highest is golden and the middle jiggles barely.****
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Let the pie cool at room temperature for at the very least 2 hours earlier than slicing. Slice into 8 wedges and revel in!
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**Crimping tip: For a traditional wave-like edge, gently press the crust together with your fingers in each instructions to create a scalloped sample.
***Partially baking the crust prevents a soggy backside.
****A jiggly middle is regular! Chess pie corporations because it cools.
Serving: 1sliceEnergy: 389kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 4gFats: 19gSodium: 354mgFiber: 1g
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find out how to make Chess Pie step-by-step pictures
Collect all of the elements and preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Prep the pie crust: Roll out one 9-inch pie crust to about 12 inches in diameter (all the way in which round). Gently place the rolled out crust right into a 9-inch pie pan.
Crimp the crust: Now, crimp the sides of the pie crust as you want. I went for a easy scalloped edge by utilizing two fingers to softly press the dough in reverse instructions all the way in which across the rim.
Blind bake the pie crust: Line the pie crust with parchment paper or foil. Now fill this with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 10-12 minutes, simply till the sides start to set.
Take away the weights/beans and parchment/foil, and prick the underside calmly with a fork. Doing this helps launch any trapped steam and stops air pockets from puffing up as your crust finishes baking. Bake the crust for 2-3 extra minutes till dry. Let it cool barely.
Make the filling: Add 1½ cups granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp tremendous yellow cornmeal, 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour, and ½ tsp salt to a big bowl and whisk.
Stir in ½ cup melted salted butter, then beat in a single egg at a time (you want 3 massive eggs complete). Including the eggs one after the other helps every egg mix into the filling easily.
Then add in ¼ cup entire milk, 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tsp vanilla till clean.
Bake: Pour the pie filling into the parbaked pie crust and gently faucet the dish onto your work floor to launch air bubbles. Flip the oven temperature right down to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 40-50 minutes till the highest is golden and the middle jiggles barely.
Cool and serve: Take away the pie from the oven and let it cool for about 2 hours at room temperature. Slice your home made chess pie into 8 slices and revel in!
You’ll wish to let your chess pie cool fully earlier than serving so the filling can set—this half’s non-negotiable! For Thanksgiving (or any busy baking day), you’ve obtained a few choices. You’ll be able to bake the entire pie forward of time and retailer it within the fridge as soon as cooled, then deliver it to room temperature earlier than serving.
Or, when you like to interrupt up the work, parbake the crust and blend up the filling a day upfront. Retailer the filling individually, coated within the fridge, and let it sit at room temperature for about half-hour earlier than baking to take the nippiness off.
Find out how to Serve Chess Pie
I like to recommend utilizing a pointy knife and wiping it clear between cuts as soon as the pie has cooled to room temperature. That’s additionally when chess pie tastes its greatest, as the flavour actually comes by way of and the filling shall be set. If you wish to add a little bit one thing further, prime every slice with whipped cream, a lightweight dusting of powdered sugar, or just a few recent berries. They add simply sufficient aptitude with out taking away from the pie’s traditional, old school sweetness!
Storage & Reheating
Like different egg-rich custard pies, chess pie is greatest saved within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Preserve it in an hermetic container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. I a lot choose this pie when it’s served recent, however you may freeze it for as much as 2 months when you don’t thoughts any attainable texture modifications. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap after which foil. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than serving. Serve leftovers at room temp or warmed (ever so barely!) in a low oven (250–275°F / 120–135°C) for five–10 minutes to refresh the feel.
