With rhubarb in season, there’s really no better time to whip up some of your favorite rhubarb recipes. Today’s Rhubarb Custard Pie is certainly one to try!
While rhubarb has a naturally tart flavor profile, the addition of sugar and a creamy egg custard balances it out beautifully…not too sweet, not too tart…just right.
This tart rhubarb custard pie is a classic dessert pie, perfect for late spring and early summer. Don’t forget there’s nothing stopping you from freezing this seasonal fruit so that you get to enjoy a slice of comforting rhubarb custard pie fresh from the oven anytime of the year!
Add this dessert recipe to your list of fruity dessert pies along with Lemon Meringue Pie, Apricot Pie, and Key Lime Pie.
Table of contents
What is Rhubarb Custard Pie?
Rhubarb Custard Pie is a dessert pie consisting of a custard filling with cooked chopped rhubarb that provides both a sweet and tart flavor.
What are the Ingredients in a Rhubarb Custard Pie Recipe?
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups fresh rhubarb diced
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1-2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 9 inch unbaked pastry pie crust
How Do I Prepare the Pie?
Let’s get to it! Making this delicious custard pie is fairly quick. We’re going to make a mixture of dry ingredients (sugar, flour, and nutmeg) and then dice up the rhubarb. Toss the rhubarb in the dry ingredients – this helps to suspend the rhubarb evenly throughout the custard filling. Be sure to dice the rhubarb into small 1/2″ pieces.
Next, we will prepare the custard mixture. Whisk together orange zest, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and eggs in a large bowl. Really put some muscle into whisking up those eggs so they are fluffy. Then, pour the custard into the rhubarb mixture and gently stir.
Transfer the filling into the unbaked 9-inch pie crust. Dot the top of the pie will pats of butter and then bake.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use fresh rhubarb (either store-bought or homegrown) or you can use frozen rhubarb. If you opt for frozen, make sure that you first thaw it before incorporating it with the other pie-filling ingredients.
- I’ve used a pastry pie crust for this dessert pie. You could also make use of a Graham cracker crust instead.
- For a gluten-free rhubarb custard pie, use gluten-free flour and a gluten-free pastry pie crust.
- For added warmth, consider including a small amount of cinnamon in addition to the nutmeg.
FAQs
Absolutely! While I love making use of fresh rhubarb for this rhubarb custard pie, if you have rhubarb in your freezer that you need to use up then go right ahead!
There are, however, a few steps that I recommend you follow when making use of frozen rhubarb for this rhubarb custard pie or any other rhubarb pie recipe:
First, thaw your frozen rhubarb. Once thawed, drain it and pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel (don’t use a paper towel as you’ll end up with pieces of paper stuck to your rhubarb). This third step is optional, but you could also toss your rhubarb with a tablespoon of flour which will help to absorb any remaining moisture.
As with most pies, you can safely leave this rhubarb custard pie in an airtight container at room temperature with no issues for 1-2 days. With that said, the egg custard will start to weep a bit if you leave it any longer than this.
If you expect that you’ll need to store it for longer than 2 days, then this pie must be stored in the refrigerator due to the egg custard element of the pie. You’ll notice quite quickly that the pie crust will become soggy from the custard which is why it’s best to eat this delicious rhubarb custard pie as soon as possible (which, to be honest, is not too much of an issue in my household!)
No, I don’t recommend that you freeze it since custard separates during the freezing process. While it doesn’t affect the flavors, it does change the texture of the custard and will also affect the crisp pie crust.
If you’re looking for ways to make this recipe ahead of time, consider making and freezing your unbaked pie crust for later use as suggested in the recipe ingredients list. For a great pie crust recipe, use Oil Pie Crust, Graham Cracker Crust, or Butter Pie Crust.
Rhubarb stalks freeze really well which is great news in case you have any excess from your garden or from purchasing fresh rhubarb.
Whether you are freezing excess rhubarb for later use or using up your freezer supplies, here are some tasty treats to make with leftover rhubarb that you won’t want to miss out on:
Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies – glazed hand-sized treats filled with gooey strawberry and rhubarb that are encased in soft and tender pastry, fried to crispy perfection!
Rhubarb Crisp – a mix of sweet and tart with brown sugar streusel topping.
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam – a dynamite combo of flavors in an easy jam recipe that can be spread on toast, scones, or paired with baked brie.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp – Oh how I love strawberry and rhubarb together with butter and brown sugar.
Tips For Making Rhubarb Custard Pie
- After the pie has cooled, consider dusting the top of the pie with powdered sugar prior to serving it. It’s an easy way to add an extra kick of sweetness to this treat without overpowering it.
- For this recipe, make sure that you cut your rhubarb into bite-sized pieces. I also mix it with flour/sugar which helps to keep it suspended in the custard filling.
- While the orange zest and nutmeg are optional, they do add lovely complimentary yet subtle flavors to the pie filling.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or simply enjoy a slice as is!
Other Summer Recipes You’ll Love
- Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Strawberry Scones
- Starbucks Pink Drink Copycat Recipe
- Lemon Raspberry Cookies
Rhubarb Custard Pie
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups fresh rhubarb diced
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1-2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 9 inch unbaked
pastry pie crust Try this Oil Pie Crust recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, and nutmeg. Stir to mix evenly.
- Rinse the rhubarb and pat dry. It does not need to be peeled. Dice into small ½” pieces. Measure out 3 cups of diced rhubarb and add to the sugar/flour mixture. Set aside.
- Whisk together orange zest, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and eggs. Whisk to thoroughly beat the eggs into the mixture.
- Pour cream mixture into the rhubarb mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour filling into the unbaked pie crust.
- Dot small pieces of the butter over the top of the filled pie.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, covering the crust loosely with aluminum foil after the first 20 minutes (when the crust has browned.)
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack.
Nutrition
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