Easy Peach Custard Pie Recipe
It’s that time of year when peaches are in season! And when I have ripe peaches, there’s only one thing I crave: my Mom’s Peach Custard Pie. It’s the perfect dessert for a summer day and so simple to prepare. I love this pie so much that when asked what kind of birthday cake I wanted, I would sometimes decline a cake and ask for a delicious peach pie instead.
My Mom was an amazing baker, and she would always whip up something sweet every day or two. I definitely inherited my love for sweets from her. Her specialty was pies, and this one in particular was a family recipe passed down from my Aunt Kay’s father (Aunt Kay was married to my Mom’s brother). I have fond memories of Mom making this pie for summer picnics at our house. It’s the perfect recipe for the peak of peach season in the summer.
Cooking With Mom
When my mother was in her late 80s, I asked her to teach me how to make a pie. She was still baking, but not always successfully at that age. Her recipes were scribbled on sheets of paper with very few directions. As we were about to finish the pie and put it in the oven, I noticed that it looked odd. That’s when she realized that we had forgotten to add the sugar. Somehow, it was my fault, and she blamed me. We argued a bit, but it was all in good fun, and we both laughed when we poured the pie back into the bowl, picked out the peaches, and added the sugar. Needless to say, it wasn’t our best joint bake, but I will never forget to add sugar to this recipe again. Memories of cooking with my mother always make me smile, even the less successful ones.
What is most remarkable about forgetting an ingredient on this pie is how few ingredients it has to begin with. The custard is eggs, flour, salt, butter, and of course, sugar. The hardest part is baking it long enough for the center to set up while not burning the top. The trick here is to keep an eye on the color of the top and put a piece of aluminum foil on the top as it is turning a medium brown color. Definitely test the center with a toothpick, and make sure it has cooked long enough to set up as it cools.
Here’s a helpful tip
Make sure your butter is very soft, almost melted. This will ensure that it mixes well with the other ingredients and doesn’t create lumps. Also, don’t overload the recipe with too many peaches, as it can make it runny due to the excess moisture.
If you happen to have some extra ripe peaches, why not give this Peach Custard Pie a try? It’s a recipe that holds a special place in my heart, as it always reminds me of my Mom.
When it’s peach season, check out these other great peach recipes you might enjoy:
Custard Peach Pie
Ingredients
Custard Peach Filling
- 1 pie crust see recipe below or use your favorite crust recipe
- 2 ripe peaches sliced
- 2 cups sugar plus one tablespoon
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 4 tablespoons softened butter
- cinnamon for dusting
Pie Crust
- 1-1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup frozen solid vegetable shortening cut into small pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 3-5 tablespoons of ice cold water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Roll out one pie crust and add to a pie or tart pan (if you use a tart pan the pie will be much thinner). Once in the pan and the edges are finished, dust the bottom with one tablespoon of sugar and one tablespoon of flour.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups of sugar, 4 tablespoons flour, salt, eggs, and butter (your butter should be extremely soft, almost melted, this will help it combine).
- Fan out the peach slices in the crust, a single layer not overlapping.
- Pour the custard mixture over the peaches. Dust the top with a lite sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until the custard has set up. TIP: If the top is browning too much, lay a piece of aluminum foil on the top while it finishes baking. Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting.
