Custard Pie

[Jafwiz]

Sometime when I make my custard pie it sinks in the middle? Anyone know why that would happen?

 

[retired baker]

Sometime when I make my custard pie it sinks in the middle? Anyone know why that would happen?

possibly the crust is doming then collapsing under the custard during baking.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

1. custard fillings need to be cooked to a certain temperature depending on the type of starch used and the type of custard. A pastry cream custard Is cook to 212°F (100°C); creme anglaise 180°F (82°C).

2. blind bake the pie crust

 

[Jafwiz]

This is just an egg custard I blind bake the crust and egg wast to seal.
The recipe is 5 eggs, 3/4 cups sugar,
3 cups milk, vannila,salt. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes then drop down 325 for 15 to 20 minutes until internal temperature is 180 degrees and knife comes out clean don't know what else to do

 

[Norcalbaker59]

This is just an egg custard I blind bake the crust and egg wast to seal.
The recipe is 5 eggs, 3/4 cups sugar,
3 cups milk, vannila,salt. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes then drop down 325 for 15 to 20 minutes until internal temperature is 180 degrees and knife comes out clean don't know what else to do

Oh, cook your custard before you put it in the shell. Go over to King Arthur flour and look up their custard pie recipe or look for one that is similar where the custard is cooked before you start baking. When you don’t use starch, you want to stabilize the custard by triggering protein denaturation before you start baking.

 

[Jafwiz]

Oh, cook your custard before you put it in the shell. Go over to King Arthur flour and look up their custard pie recipe or look for one that is similar where the custard is cooked before you start baking. When you don’t use starch, you want to stabilize the custard by triggering protein denaturation before you start baking.

That is exactly how I make it? I microwave the milk to a simmer then I mix with the egg,sugar,salt extract mixture then I pour half in the baked she'll I put in the oven then fill the rest till full. I bake in a blind baked she'll at 425 for 10 minutes then lower to 325 for 15 to 20 minutes untill knife comes out clean and the temperature inside I'd 180?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

That is exactly how I make it? I microwave the milk to a simmer then I mix with the egg,sugar,salt extract mixture then I pour half in the baked she'll I put in the oven then fill the rest till full. I bake in a blind baked she'll at 425 for 10 minutes then lower to 325 for 15 to 20 minutes untill knife comes out clean and the temperature inside I'd 180?

Wait, your oven is 425°F to bake the pie shell. Are you checking with an oven thermometer to make sure that the oven is actually 325°F when you put the pie in the oven? Because that pie should take about 35 minutes to bake not 15 - 20 minutes. I think your oven is too hot.

 

[Jafwiz]

I bake the pie at 425 for the first 10 minutes I like the brown color on the top skin then I lower the temperature to 325 for another 15 to 20 minutes so overall around 30 minutes.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I bake the pie at 425 for the first 10 minutes I like the brown color on the top skin then I lower the temperature to 325 for another 15 to 20 minutes so overall around 30 minutes.

425°F is way too hot for custard. That’s the temperature to bake raw fruit pie, in an un- baked crust.

Custard pie should be baked at 300°F - 325°F at most.


Edit: when you make baked custard in ramekins, flan, crème brûlée they are placed in a Bain Marie. Water evaporates at 212°F. So even though the oven temperature is 350°F the temperature around the ramekins it’s going to be 212°F.

 

[Jafwiz]

Even for the first 10 minutes? I knew about baking at the lower temperature but to get the browning on top I thought it would be ok? I will try it all at 325 next time thanks.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Even for the first 10 minutes? I knew about baking at the lower temperature but to get the browning on top I thought it would be ok? I will try it all at 325 next time thanks.

Yes, and just because you turn the oven down does not mean the oven is cooled to 325°F. The oven is insulated, it’s designed to hold heat. And the fact that the pie is baking in 20 minutes instead of 35 minutes is proof that is baking way too hot and fast. fact you know I would just drop that temperature to 300°F. Check it with an oven thermometer and make sure your oven temperature is correct before you put anything in it

 

[Jafwiz]

Yes, and just because you turn the oven down does not mean the oven is cooled to 325°F. The oven is insulated, it’s designed to hold heat. And the fact that the pie is baking in 20 minutes instead of 35 minutes is proof that is baking way too hot and fast. fact you know I would just drop that temperature to 300°F. Check it with an oven thermometer and make sure your oven temperature is correct before you put anything in it

Thanks for the info i do have a question for you my new oven is a steam assist oven and i have been using it for many baking projects i can't believe how good my Chiffon cake comes with the steam so much higher how would this work with the custard pie?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Thanks for the info i do have a question for you my new oven is a steam assist oven and i have been using it for many baking projects i can't believe how good my Chiffon cake comes with the steam so much higher how would this work with the custard pie?

The moisture isn’t going to hurt the custard. But I don’t know what it’s going to do to your crust edge, whether it’s going to make it soggy. I have no experience with a home steam oven.

 

[retired baker]

This is just an egg custard I blind bake the crust and egg wast to seal.
The recipe is 5 eggs, 3/4 cups sugar,
3 cups milk, vannila,salt. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes then drop down 325 for 15 to 20 minutes until internal temperature is 180 degrees and knife comes out clean don't know what else to do

When you see it doming prick it with a knife point.
Its caused when the dough isn't blind baked enough, the bottom is still soft and can dome up when steam forms between the dough and the mold. Nothing else can cause this.