a custard pie with rhubarb flavor rather than rhubarb chunks suspended in custard. In my family, this dish dates back to the 1930s or 1940s. When I was a kid, I frequently requested this pie as opposed to cake for my birthday. Since the rhubarb is boiled down into a slightly chunky custard filling, this dish may be made whenever rhubarb is in season (even frozen), without needing the tender springtime kind.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins |
| Additional Time: | 2 hrs |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 50 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 1 9-inch pie |
Ingredients
- 1 (9 inch) refrigerated pie crust
- 4 cups rhubarb, chopped
- 1 ⅓ cups white sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 drops red food coloring (Optional)
- 3 eggs, separated
- 6 tablespoons light whipping cream
- 6 tablespoons white sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons white sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line pie crust with a double layer of aluminum foil and a layer of pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake in the preheated oven until edge of crust is golden, about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights; continue baking until the crust sets, about 5 minutes more. Remove crust and let cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and place a rack in the center position.
- Mix rhubarb, 1 1/3 cups sugar, butter, and food coloring together in a pot over medium heat. Simmer until rhubarb is tender and just starting to fall apart, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Mix egg yolks, cream, 6 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl. While constantly stirring, add to the rhubarb mixture. Continue stirring; simmer until mixture starts to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until foamy. Gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla extract to the meringue.
- Pour the rhubarb mixture into the baked pie crust. Pile meringue lightly on top of the filling. Spread meringue to touch the crust, sealing in the filling. Shape the top of the meringue into a nice pattern, with high points and edges that will brown when baked.
- Bake until firm and delicately browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool until custard is set, about 2 hours. Keep refrigerated.
- This can also be made in an 8-inch pie plate.
- If the rhubarb is green, you can add a few drops of red food coloring to give an appealing pink color to the custard.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 428 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 68 g |
| Cholesterol | 89 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Sodium | 217 mg |
| Sugars | 53 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Well, Dave. I have to thank you for posting this recipe. I had made this pie many times a number of years ago but lost the recipe book it was in. I’ve been searching for a recipe for this for four years but no one I know had heard of it. This is a delicious mixture of tart and sweet and I, like you, prefer the rhubarb cooked down into the custard instead of rhubarb chunks. So having said that, I did cook the rhubarb longer than you state and mashed it before incorporating the cream mixture in. Other than that, I made no changes and don’t plan on any. This is a great recipe for a great pie. PS: I love surprising dinner guests with this dessert. I like to bring the pie to the table and I know they are expecting lemon meringue pie. I can’t wait to see their faces when I cut a slice and it is pink!
I love this pie. Unlike any other Rhubarb pie with a creamy custard filling.