I finally found a creative way of eating this herb that is nutritious but sour in taste. If you are craving a fruity pie and have no fruit at hand, try adding rhubarb chunks to your pie filling. You will probably be hooked like I am.
So what is this ingredient? It could be the first time you are encountering this herb. I didn't know much about it either until I visited my mother-in-law in Michigan. We lived in the Amish community in Florida. Florida is relatively warm, rhubarb flourishes in cold areas. This recipe inspired the Amish Lemon Sponge Pie, and also pairs well with Amish Dinner Rolls.
In Michigan, almost every garden has this perennial herb. I used to think it was a spinach variety with pink stalks 😊. Rhubarb is a vegetable with vibrant pink colored stalks that are edible. The leaves are not eaten. It takes a very long time to grow especially if planted from seeds. Once it is grown, it keeps producing stalks prolifically as long as it's well-fed with manure.
My mother was quick to tell me the numerous health benefits of this unfamiliar herb. For the first time, it tasted like a sour lemon, leaving this puckering effect in my mouth. Over time I began to like rhubarb and would make many dishes such as our famous Amish Rhubarb jam. The trick is to cook it in sugar to balance out its bitter flavor.
Jump to:
How to prepare rhubarb
Cut out the leaves and discard them. Wash the stalks thoroughly, removing any soil within the stalks. Chop the stalks on a chopping board and use as desired.
Ingredients and Substitution
Single 9-inch pie shell
You can buy or make your pie shell. Our homemade pie crust recipe is the best!
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a herbaceous plant with edible pink stalks. The stalks are chopped and added to the pie filling. You can substitute rhubarb with another fruit or vegetable.
Eggs
Eggs form the custard part of the pie filling. Eggs enrich the pie filling as they contain protein. They provide the structure that holds the rhubarb chunks together.
Milk
Milk adds moisture to the pie filling, giving the custard a silky texture and distinct milky flavor.
Sugar
Sugar adds a depth of sweetness to the pie filling. Rhubarb is sour and possesses a bitter undertone. Sugar neutralizes the sourness making the pie easily palatable. You can substitute sugar with honey, stevia powder, or maple syrup.
Flour
Flour acts as a thickening agent in the pie filling. Cornstarch is a suitable replacement for flour.
Butter
Butter moisturizes the custard filling. Butter has a distinct milky flavor that makes the custard very delicious.
Vanilla
Vanilla extract introduces a sweet, fruity flavor that is mild as well. It blends perfectly with the bitter flavors of the rhubarb.
How to make an Amish Rhubarb Pie
This is one of the easiest pies to make. Prepare the rhubarb as described above. Line your pie plate with a pie crust and set aside in the refrigerator. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and beat the eggs.
Add sugar, flour, milk, vanilla extract, butter, and salt. Whisk until you form a creamy mixture. Sprinkle the rhubarb chunks onto the pie shell. Pour the creamy mixture onto the rhubarb layer.
Combine all ingredients in a creamy mixture
Baking at 180 degrees Farenheignt
Preheat the oven to 180 F/350 F. Bake the single pie crust with pie weights for 20 minutes. Bake the pie for 45 minutes until the center has a slight jingle.
Cool the pie on a wire rack. The pie is best when served chilled with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Equipment
Pie plate
9 inch pie glass pie works well in making this recipe.
Rolling pin
Rolling pie spreads out the pastry dough to the required size.
Pastry Mat
The pastry mat is a good guide on how wide you should roll out the pastry dough while making the pie shell.
Expert Tips
Make your pie crust the day before.
If you are making your homemade pie crust, always make it ahead of time. It saves time, to have your pastry dough ready at the time you are assembling the pie.
Prepare the pastry dough the day before you intend to bake the pie. Chill the dough in the refrigerator, this step will make it flaky and light.
Blind baking the pie crust
Blind baking the pie crust is baking a single empty pie crust. Simply line up the pie plate with the pastry dough, and place a sheet of parchment paper on the pie shell.
Add weights such as dry beans, spreading them on the bottom of the pie. Bake the pie shell for 20 minutes. This step prevents the pie from getting unpleasantly soggy.
FAQ Amish Rhubarb Custard Pie
Sure, make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Then slip it into a freezer-friendly ziplock bag. The pie can stay fresh in the freezer for 2 months.
Oh yes, you can make two 9-inch pie shells. A double-crusted pie would taste delicious as well.
Related Recipe
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Amish Rhubarb Custard Pie Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Amish Rhubarb Custard Pie
Equipment
- Pie plate
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry Mat
Ingredients
- 1 Single pie crust /shell (unbaked)
- 4 heaping cups Chopped Rhubarb
- 1 cup Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 3 large Eggs
- ¾ cup Milk
- 3 teaspoon Flour
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Line a 9-inch pie plate with therolled-out pastry dough and chill it in the refrigerator.
- Cut off the leaves from the rhubarb and discard. Wash the stalks and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
- Chop them into small-sized chunks, about two inches in thickness. Set them aside in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, and add the sugar, flour salt, milk butter, and vanilla extract. Mix until the ingredients are fully combined.
- Sprinkle the rhubarb chunks on the pie shell. Spread to form a uniform layer.
- Pour the creamy mixture onto the rhubarb layer.
- Bake the pie for 45 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. The pie should have a slight jingle at the center when ready.
- Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla Ice cream.
Leave a Reply