Ingredients
- 1 (9 inch) pie crusts
- 1 egg yolk (to brush on crust)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup cream
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
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Bake pie crust in preheated 425° oven for 15 minutes (be sure to weigh it down to keep it from puffing).
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Remove from oven and brush with beaten egg yolk; return to oven and bake for 5 minutes, to set the egg yolk.
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Meanwhile, scald the milk and cream with a piece of vanilla bean and the salt.
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Remove the vanilla bean.
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In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together, then pour a quarter of the hot milk over the egg mixture and stir wellPour the egg mixture into the remaining hot milk and stir well.
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Pour the custard into the hot, partially baked pie crust, and sprinkle it with nutmeg.
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Use a crust shield or strips of foil to protect the edges of the crust from overbrowning.
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Bake the pie for 10 minutes; turn off the oven and without opening the door, bake it for another 5 minutes.
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The mixture should look set around the edges but will still be wobbly in the middle.
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If it is not set at the edges, bake it for 5 more minutes.
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If you have an instant-read thermometer, remove the pie from the oven when it reaches 165° in the center.
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If the mixture goes above 180°, the custard will become watery.
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Cool the pie for several hours before serving.