Buttermilk Pie

I’m always surprised at the number of people that tell me they’ve never eaten Buttermilk Pie. They crinkle their nose when it’s placed before them and wonder aloud, “does it taste like buttermilk?”

Heck, no, it doesn’t taste like buttermilk. If it did, I wouldn’t get within a country mile of the stuff. Buttermilk Pie has a slight tang offset with a rich sweetness that is hard to resist. When you sprinkle the top with raw sugar prior to baking, it emerges with a gooey glaze similar to that of  a creme brulee pie. It’s a miracle in your mouth, and best served warm.

Buttermilk Pie

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 teaspoons all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

raw sugar (for sprinkling over top)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Soften butter in microwave, but don’t melt entirely.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. mix in the flour, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour filling into pie shell. Sprinkle top with nutmeg and raw sugar.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until golden brown. The middle will not look set, usually–this is a temperamental pie. As long as it’s not too liquid-y, go ahead and remove it. You don’t want to overcook the custard, but you may need to play with the timing, depending on your oven, to get it just right. Remember that eggs continue to cook even after removed from the heat source. This also works better if you cook only one pie at a time.