caramel custard pie

I found this recipe in The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, though I did make a little extra custard to see how it tasted – and I’m not sure I melted the caramel as well as they intended for me to do. Nevertheless, here’s the recipe:

Preheat oven to 425.

1 pie unbaked 9-inch pie shell
1 egg yolk, beaten

Partially bake the crust for 15 minutes, weighing it down to keep it from puffing. (I put parchment paper on the bottom and then fill it with loose change because I’m too cheap to buy pie weights.) Remove it from the oven, take off the weights, brush it with the egg yolk, and return it to the oven for five more minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 350.

1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs

Mix the sugar and eggs together in a bowl until well combined.

1 3/4 cups milk or cream (I used half and half)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup butterscotch chips or caramel chips

Heat the cream, salt, vanilla, and caramel in the microwave until the caramel is melted. I did it in two minute increments and whisked the mixture in between. Pour a little of the mixture into the eggs and sugar, while the mixer is running, and then a little more, and so on to keep the hot mixture from cooking the eggs. Pour the filling into the pie shell and cook for 20 minutes. The center will look set, though still be wobbly and the custard’s temperature should be 165 on an instant read thermometer. The filling will thicken and set while it cools. Let it rest for an hour or two.

Peace,
Milton