Strawberry Cream Pie With Custard Filling

Strawberry Cream Pie

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Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Springtime means strawberries, so finding a new recipe highlighting this sweet and delicious fruit is always exciting. Turn those freshly picked strawberries into a luscious strawberry cream pie, complete with a creamy custard filling. The store-bought pastry shell will save you time, but of course, you can make homemade if you so choose.

Make sure to begin this recipe ahead of time as the pastry shell needs to be baked and the custard needs time to set in the refrigerator before topping with the strawberries. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups milk (scalded)
  • 2 large eggs (slightly beaten)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (9-inch) pastry shell (baked and cooled)
  • 1 pint/2 cups strawberries (washed, hulled, and halved)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (whipped and sweetened, or 2 cups prepared whipped topping)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In the top of a double boiler, mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt; gradually add scalded milk and cook over the simmering water, stirring constantly, until thickened.

  3. Add a small amount of the hot milk mixture to the beaten eggs; whisk in quickly.

  4. Pour the egg mixture into the hot milk mixture in a double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick.

  5. Remove from the heat. Add the butter and vanilla extract and mix to combine completely. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

  6. Pour chilled custard mixture into the cooled baked pastry shell.

  7. Arrange halved strawberries over the filling, reserving some for garnish. Chill again.

  8. Spread sweetened whipped cream over the top just before serving. Garnish with reserved halved berries.

  9. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

An important step in this recipe is adding a little bit of the hot milk mixture to the beaten eggs before adding all of the egg to the milk mixture. This technique is called tempering and is used when combining a hot with a cold ingredient. Tempering slowly raises the cold ingredient's temperature so both of the ingredients remain stabilized—meaning the foods' characteristics don't change. In this particular instance, adding some of the hot mixture to the eggs first will prevent the eggs from curdling when they are poured into the hot custard.

Although it is easier to purchase a tub of whipped topping, making your own whipped cream is much tastier, fresher, and made with simple, real ingredients. (Store-bought whipped topping is filled with chemicals and added sugar.) To make your own whipped cream you only need heavy cream, sugar (confectioners' is best) and vanilla extract if you prefer. Although you can whip by hand, having a hand-held electric mixer will save you a lot of effort and elbow grease.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
437 Calories
21g Fat
55g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 437
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 139mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 55g 20%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Protein 7g
Calcium 115mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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