Ingredients
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 cup whole milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp butter, at room temperature
- 11/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Anabelle's basic single pie shell (see recipe below) or 1 ready-made 9-inch pie crust, prebaked and cooled completely
- 1 Anabelle's whipped cream topping (recipe below; optional)
- 11/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 5 tbsp ice-cold water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt with a fork. Add the shortening and cut in using only your fork--no hands!--until the dough forms pieces the size of small peas. Slowly add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix with the fork. Use just enough water to make a soft dough that holds together. Start with the 4 tablespoons, and add 1 more tablespoon if necessary, but too much water will make the dough sticky.
Shape the dough into a ball with your hands, but do not handle it excessively. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 14 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. You should have enough to cover a 9-inch pie plate, with 1/2 inch or so overlapping the edge. Transfer the dough to a pie dish and gently press it against the bottom and sides. Flute the edge. use a fork to prick small holes in the bottom and sides of the dough to prevent puffing.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until lightly golden, checking halfway through to see if the crust is puffing up. If so, prick it again with the fork. Remove from the oven and let cool completely
Preheat the oven to 425º F.
Place the sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually stir in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken, 11 to 14 minutes. The consistency should be like a thick cream soup. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. To temper the eggs, pour about 1 cup of the hot, thickened milk mixture into the bowl of yolks. Quickly whisk them together and then slowly blend the egg mixture back into the hot milk in your saucepan. Decrease the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until the mixture takes on the consistency of pudding. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter until melted, then mix in the vanilla.
Allow the filling to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and chill for at least 1 hour. Serve alone or topped with the whipped cream topping.
Banana Puddin’ Pie: Momma Jenna slices bananas onto the bottom of the baked crust before filling it with vanilla cream. Momma Reiner dices up bananas to layer all over and in between!
Coconut Puddin’ Pie: After the vanilla cream mixture has cooled, fold 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut into the filling before pouring it into the baked crust. Decorate by sprinkling toasted coconut on top. Serve alone or topped with whipped cream.
Recipe courtesy of Sugar, Sugar: Every Recipe Has a Story by Kimberly “Momma” Reiner and Jenna Sanz-Agero/Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011.
