French Cream Pie

Old-fashioned in the best way. This is a sour cream and raisin pie that gets its silky body from a single beaten egg, gently thickened in a double boiler so the custard never scrambles. A teaspoon of baking soda stirred in off the heat mellows the tang of the sour cream and lightens the texture as the filling chills.

The cinnamon does quiet work here, lifting the sweetness of the raisins without taking over. Once the filling has set firm in a fully baked pie shell, a thick crown of softly whipped cream goes on top.

Cook the filling slowly. Rushing it over direct heat will curdle the sour cream and leave you with a grainy custard. When it coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through leaves a clear track, it’s ready.

Pro Tips

• Pre-bake the pie shell until deep golden. A pale crust will go soggy under the chilled filling.
• Plump the raisins in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain well before mixing. They’ll be juicier in the finished pie.
• Stir constantly in the double boiler and never let the water below come to a hard boil. Gentle steam heat is the whole point.
• Chill the pie at least 4 hours, or overnight, before topping with whipped cream. Slicing too early means a runny wedge.

Variations

• Swap half the raisins for chopped dried figs or dates for a deeper, jammy filling.
• Add a splash of bourbon or dark rum to the cooked filling for a grown-up twist.
• Finish the whipped cream with a dusting of freshly grated nutmeg or extra cinnamon.