Description
This Delicious Cranberry Custard Pie offers a vibrant and creamy dessert that perfectly balances tart cranberries with a rich custard filling and a buttery pie crust. Ideal for holiday gatherings or anytime you want a bright and festive treat, this pie combines fresh or frozen cranberries with a luscious custard infused with orange zest for a zesty, smooth, and satisfying dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 refrigerated pie crust or deep-dish pie shell
Filling
- 4 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup orange juice
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 6 large egg yolks (at room temperature)
- 1 tbsp orange zest
Optional Garnish
- Sweetened whipped cream
- Cranberries
- Red currants
- Snowflake sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C, gas mark 4) to prepare for baking the pie.
- Prepare Pie Crust: Roll out the refrigerated pie dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer the rolled dough to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan and tuck it in gently, trimming any excess dough.
- Blind Bake Crust: Line the pie crust with parchment paper, cover with tin foil, and fill with pie weights to prevent bubbling. Pre-bake for 10 minutes, then remove weights and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the crust is lightly golden.
- Cook Cranberries: Combine cranberries and orange juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until it simmers and the berries soften, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Make Cranberry Puree: Blend the cooked cranberry mixture until smooth, then strain it to remove solids and yield 2 cups of cranberry puree for a silky filling texture.
- Prepare Custard Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, cranberry puree, and orange zest until the mixture is thick and well combined.
- Fill Pie Crust: Pour the custard filling into the pre-baked pie crust, spreading it evenly.
- Bake Pie: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the center of the pie is almost set but still slightly wobbly — this ensures creamy custard consistency.
- Cool and Set: Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool for about 2 hours to allow it to set properly.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours or overnight to fully chill and firm up before serving.
- Garnish: Optionally, garnish with sweetened whipped cream, fresh cranberries, red currants, or festive snowflake sprinkles for a beautiful presentation.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- For best texture, ensure egg yolks are at room temperature before mixing.
- Straining the cranberry puree helps create a smooth custard without seeds or skins.
- Blind baking the crust prevents it from becoming soggy once the filling is added.
- The pie should be slightly wobbly in the center when done baking to achieve a creamy custard finish.
- Refrigerating overnight enhances the flavors and makes slicing easier.
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries interchangeably; frozen may require a few extra minutes to cook down.
