Favourite Eggnog Pie
Submitted by lisa30
Eggnog chiffon pie, an airy brandy-spiked custard set with gelatin and lightened with whipped egg whites, dusted with fresh nutmeg in a flaky homemade crust. A Christmas dessert worth the fuss.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
35 minREADY
140 minEggnog in pie form, and it’s lighter than you’d expect. The filling is a chiffon, which means a creamy cooked custard gets folded full of whipped egg whites so it sets up airy and mousse-like rather than dense.
It comes together in stages. First a cornstarch-and-yolk custard thickens gently over a double boiler, then bloomed gelatin goes in to give it just enough structure to slice. The whole thing chills until it’s on the edge of setting before you fold in the meringue, which keeps all that air suspended.
A good pour of brandy or rum supplies the boozy eggnog warmth, and a shower of freshly grated nutmeg over the top makes it unmistakable.
The crust is a classic from-scratch flaky shell, so keep the dough cold and handle it as little as possible for a tender, shattering bite.
Chef Tips
- Chill the custard until it’s thick and just starting to set before folding in the whites. Too warm and it deflates, too firm and it won’t fold smoothly.
- Beat the egg whites to firm peaks and fold gently to keep the chiffon light and airy.
- The whites go in uncooked, so use pasteurized egg whites if you’re serving anyone who should avoid raw egg.
- Keep the pastry dough cold and barely worked so it bakes flaky, not tough.
Variations
- Use dark rum or bourbon in place of brandy for a different spirit.
- For an alcohol-free pie, swap in rum and vanilla extracts.
- Top with whipped cream and an extra grating of nutmeg before serving.
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the pie shell:
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a small bowl and then cut in the shortening using a pastry blender.
When the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, add about ¼ cup of ice water and using your hands, but working the dough as little as possible (you want it to stay as cold as possible), mix in the water. Add more water if needed to produce a dough that will hold together in a ball.
Roll out to about ¼ inch and then fold the circle of dough into quarters and place in a 9-inch pie pan. Turn the edges under and, using your thumb and forefinger, press a fluted design into the edge. Using a fork, prick the pastry all over the bottom of the shell and also around the sides.
Bake at 400℉ (200℃) for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
Make the filling:
Sprinkle the gelatin over ½ cup of the milk, stir it in gently and allow it to soften.
In the top portion of a double boiler combine the cornstarch, salt and 3 tablespoons of the sugar and add the rest of the milk and the egg yolks whick have been slightly beaten. Stirring constantly, cook over simmering water until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat, cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Stir the gelatin mixture into the thickened milk mixture. Return to the heat and cook for 5 minutes while you stir constantly. Remove from the heat. Cover and place in the refrigerator to cool until chilled.
Beat the egg whites until frothy and add the rest of the sugar as you beat until they become quite firm. Add the brandy or rum (or extracts) to the chilled thickened milk mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Pour into the cooled pie shell and sprinkle nutmeg on the top. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.
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