Buttermilk Chess Pie
The category of chess pie is expansive. By definition, a chess pie is any sweet custard pie made up of eggs, butter and sugar, with something to set it, like flour or cornmeal. This runs the gamut from transparent pie to pies that even include nuts like Kentucky Derby pie. These “sugar pies,” with their basic ingredients, might otherwise fall flat without a bit of finesse. This version, beautifully balanced with buttermilk and a touch of lemon and vanilla to cut the characteristic sweetness, elevates the minimalism in an elegant and well-rounded way. It’s chess pie in its highest form. Some tips for success: Cooling your buttermilk chess pie for several hours is just as important as baking until set with the right jiggle. Baking it in a frozen, homemade pie shell helps create a crust that is both crisp on the bottom and soft against the filling.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 9 persons
Ingredients
- ½cup/4 ounces/113 grams unsalted butter
- 1vanilla bean
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- 3cups/600 grams granulated sugar
- ½cup/64 grams all-purpose flour
- 1teaspoon coarse kosher salt, like Morton’s
- 6large eggs
- 5 ½cups/360 milliliters whole cultured buttermilk
- 1(9-inch) deep-dish pie crust, frozen (preferably homemade, see Tip)
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the center. Prepare pie filling: In a small pan over low heat, melt the butter. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise in half and scrape the seeds into the melted butter, along with the spent pod, and whisk. (This will help ensure the beans are evenly dispersed throughout the pie.) Set aside to cool.Step 2
In a large bowl, rub lemon zest into the sugar and then whisk in the flour and salt until well combined.Step 3
In another large bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk together until well combined. (One minute should be ample, as you don’t want to aerate the eggs too much.)Step 4
Add the dry ingredients to eggs and buttermilk. Whisk by hand until fully incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.Step 5
Remove and discard the vanilla pod from the slightly cooled butter mixture and slowly whisk the butter mixture into the batter. Add the lemon juice and whisk one final time.Step 6
Place the frozen pie shell on a sheet pan, pour in the filling (it should reach just under the crimped edge) and place in the oven on the center rack, turning the oven down to 350 degrees once you close the door.Step 7
Bake for 35 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees and continue baking until the pie is medium brown on top and the filling is set but still slightly jiggly, an additional 45 to 50 minutes.Step 8
Let cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours to allow to fully set, and serve at room temperature or cold. The pie is best served the day it’s made, but you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.