Fresh Berry Custard Pie
With a flaky bottom crust, creamy custard filling, and topped with whipped cream and berries, this Fresh Berry Custard Pie is easily a top notch crowd pleaser.
It’s fun to branch out in baking and try something a little different. This Fresh Berry Custard Pie is just that—new and exciting (at least in my kitchen!). The texture is uniquely its own, but I quite enjoyed it alongside a flaky crust and delicious pie toppings.
Equipment and Ingredients Needed
This cake can be made using a stand or handheld electric mixer. For this recipe, I prefer the handheld mixer if available.
The crust is made with shortening, flour and ice water. It is an old-fashioned pie crust, but super flaky and pairs well with the richness of the filling. Use a pastry cutter to make pie crust, but it can also be made by hand if desired.
The filling itself is made by creaming butter and sugar together, beating in eggs and then mixing in flour, vanilla, zest and Lifeway’s Plain Organic Whole Milk Kefir.
Top the cake with whipped cream and berries to finish the recipe. There are a few steps, but none of them are particularly difficult and the pie comes together rather quickly.
Tips and Tricks
1.) Once ice water is added to the crust, don’t over mix. This will make the crust hard and tough.
2.) Blind bake the crust until it is lightly golden brown throughout, especially the bottom of the crust.
3.) For a smoother pie filling, feel free to run the filling through fine mesh sieve into the crust.
4.) Unlike some custard and cheesecake recipes that are pulled when the pie is still slightly jiggly, this pie should be pulled from the oven when it’s firm and fully set.
5.) Allow the pie to cool completely before serving.
Final Tip
Get creative with pie toppings. Any fruit would pair perfectly with the custard base, such as blackberries, peaches, or even pitted cherries.
Fresh Berry Custard Pie
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5-6 tablespoons ice water, as needed
- 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 cup Lifeway Kefir
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- Pie Toppings: fresh raspberries, powdered sugar and whipped cream.
Instructions
- Add the shortening, flour and salt into a large bowl.
- Using a pastry cutter, blend the flour and shortening together until is resembles small crumbs.
- Add the ice cold water into the bowl. Bring the pie crust together into a ball, working it as little as possible.
- Preheat oven 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- On a lightly floured surface. roll out the pie crust into a large circle, about 12-14 inches. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Remove any excess dough allowing a small amount to hang over the sides of the pan. Tuck the crust under itself as needed, and then using either a finger or fork, crimp the edges into a pleasant pattern.
- Line the pie shell with parchment paper and using either pie weights or dried beans, bake the pie for about 15 minutes. Next, remove the parchment and weights and bake and bake and additional 3-5 minutes or until the pie is lightly golden brown.
- Reduce temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- To make the filling, using a handheld mixer, and into a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together for three minutes. Beat in the eggs. Add to the bowl, the flour, vanilla, zest and buttermilk and whisk until smooth. Pour the filling into the shell and bake until the top is golden brown and firm, about 40-45 minutes.
- Allow the pie to cool completely before adding the toppings and serving immediately.
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