Southern Chess Pie is a traditional dessert that brings a wealthy, gooey custard filling with a touch of caramelized goodness on prime. Fortunately, this pie is tremendous simple to make. This recipe requires a pie crust and just some extra substances that you just most likely have already got readily available, so that you’ll be capable to whip up this pie very quickly in any respect! It has such a deliciously candy and distinctive taste that everybody will likely be begging you for the recipe!
For easier pie recipes, attempt our Simple Peasy Pumpkin Pie or our Outdated Original Strawberry Pie.
Why Our Recipe
- The proper gooey custard filling that’s wealthy and candy with cornmeal to offer texture.
- A caramelized layer on prime supplies the right end.
- Tremendous easy to make in order that anybody from novices to pie professionals can take pleasure in.
Southern chess pie is nice, indulgent, and downright scrumptious! The filling is much like custard, however the cornmeal provides it extra texture than custard. The sugar caramelizes on prime of the pie because it bakes, making it even yummier. A great comparability is the flavour of pecan pie in case you simply eliminated the pecans!
Ingredient Notes
- Pie Crust: This recipe doesn’t stroll you thru the right way to make a pie crust, however haven’t any concern! We have now our Idiot Proof Pie Crust recipe that we swear by. In case you’re in a pinch, you should utilize a store-bought pie crust, however simply ensure you don’t skip the freezing step on this recipe! In any other case, your crust received’t obtain that good texture because it bakes.
- Cornmeal: This small quantity of cornmeal within the recipe is vital to the standard taste and texture of chess pie.
- Milk: Complete milk works greatest, however you possibly can at all times use 2%.
- Lemon Juice: You need to use bottled lemon juice for this recipe if you’d like, however contemporary is at all times greatest. The lemon juice cuts by way of the sweetness of the pie, giving it a extra complicated taste.
Recipe Origins
Chess pie has been round for a very long time—some say it originated again in England within the 18th century! It’s not clear the place precisely the identify chess pie got here from, however not one of the theories recommend that it’s named after the sport of chess. Some sources say that one baker of this pie served it saying, “It’s simply pie,” however her Southern accent made the phrase “simply” sound like “chess.”
Others say that the identify refers back to the chests that folks used to retailer their meals in to maintain it contemporary, and that it was as soon as once more misunderstood and become “chess pie” moderately than “chest pie.” We would not know why it was ever deemed chess pie, however we do know one factor—it’s nonetheless a superbly scrumptious dessert!
Stop Cracking
In case you transfer this pie out of the oven too quick, you possibly can danger cracking the highest! One option to stop pies from cracking is to put the pie dish on a cookie sheet earlier than placing it within the oven. That may make it a lot simpler to take out of the oven, and also you additionally received’t have to fret about spills in your oven!
Serving Options
You’ll be able to at all times serve slices of chess pie plain, however you can too gown them up with just a little one thing additional. Giving the pie a dusting of powdered sugar on prime is the best option to glam it up. And, in fact, pie is at all times nice served with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you wish to get fancier, you possibly can prime with contemporary berries or add just a little orange or lemon zest on prime.
Storage Directions
Retailer at room temperature by protecting the pie loosely with plastic wrap or foil for as much as 2 days.
Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container or coated with plastic wrap or foil for as much as 5 days.
Freeze particular person slices then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a resealable freezer bag. Retailer within the freezer for as much as 2 months. Thaw within the fridge earlier than serving.
Extra scrumptious pie recipes . . .
Watch the video beneath the place Caytlin will stroll you thru each step of this recipe. Typically it helps to have a visible, and we’ve at all times obtained you coated with our cooking present. You could find the entire assortment of recipes on YouTube, our Fb Web page, or proper right here on our web site with their corresponding recipes.
