Southern American·Dessert
Southern Peach Custard Pie
A delightful hybrid of a classic Southern Chess pie and fresh summer peaches, this recipe uses cornmeal and a splash of vinegar for a unique, velvety texture that balances perfectly with the fruit.
Prep
20m
Cook
75m
Total
95m
Serves
8
Method
- 01
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line your pie shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Blind bake the crust for about 15 minutes until the edges are a very light golden brown. Remove weights and let the crust cool.
Watch · 0:33
- 02
Prepare the peaches by optionally peeling them, then slicing them into halves. Remove the pit (stone) and slice the fruit into uniform wedges (eighths work well).
Watch · 1:38
- 03
In a large bowl, whisk together four eggs and white sugar until the sugar feels dissolved. Add brown sugar, flour, cornmeal, salt, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, and milk. Whisk thoroughly until combined.
Watch · 2:26
- 04
Slowly pour or whisk in the melted butter. Continue whisking enthusiastically by hand until the batter is completely emulsified and smooth.
Watch · 3:31
- 05
Arrange the peach slices in an even layer across the bottom of the pre-baked pie crust. Carefully ladle the custard batter over the peaches to avoid moving them, filling the shell to just below the rim.
Watch · 4:32
- 06
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the custard is set but still has a slight jiggle in the center and the top is golden brown. Let cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator overnight for the best texture before slicing.
Watch · 5:13
From Chef John
“You are after all the Southern bell of making sure this comes out well.”
“According to recent madeup studies, the amount of calories you burn doing this is the exact same number of one slice of pie.”
“Optimum texture aside, that was absolutely amazing tasting.”