Vanilla Cream Pie

Ingredients

• Hide ingredients for ½ recipe All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough, or 1 recipe any pat-in-the-pan dough or Crumb Crust 1 ½ recipe All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough, or 1 recipe any pat-in-the-pan dough or Crumb Crust (opens in new tab) ½ recipe All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough, or 1 recipe any pat-in-the-pan dough or Crumb Crust
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • (1 teaspoon sugar, for sweet pies)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks (8 oz or 225g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 6 tablespoons (90g) ice water mixed with 1 tablespoon distilled white or cider vinegar
  • 1 to 3 teaspoons ice water

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Whisk together in a medium bowl or pulse briefly in a food processor: 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour; (1 teaspoon sugar, for sweet pies); ½ teaspoon salt
  2. Add: 2 sticks (8 oz or 225g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  3. If mixing the dough by hand, work in the butter, flattening the pieces between your fingers until they are roughly pea-sized or a little larger with some larger, flattened pieces. If using a food processor, add all the fat at once and pulse until the butter pieces are mostly pea-sized. Sprinkle the dough with: 6 tablespoons (90g) ice water mixed with 1 tablespoon distilled white or cider vinegar
  4. Blend the water gently into the dough with a silicone spatula or pulse until it just holds together. If the dough is still dry and crumbly, add: 1 to 3 teaspoons ice water
  5. The dough should not be wet or sticky but should hold together when squeezed. Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, and roll out immediately as directed in Rolling Pie Dough, or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Prepare as directed in Lining a Pie or Tart Pan with Dough. To fill and bake, see individual recipes. For a baked shell, see About Blind Baking Crusts.
• ⅔ cup (130g) sugar
• ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups (590g) whole milk
• 5 large egg yolks (whites reserved if making meringue)
• 3 tablespoons (45g) butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• Hide ingredients for Italian Meringue 1 Italian Meringue (opens in new tab) Italian Meringue
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 4 large egg whites (about ½ cup)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar or ½ teaspoon lemon juice

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Stir in a small heavy saucepan until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to a boil over high heat: 1 cup sugar; ½ cup water
  2. In the meantime, beat in large bowl, or in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, at medium-high speed until nearly stiff: 4 large egg whites (about ½ cup); ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar or ½ teaspoon lemon juice
  3. When the egg whites are nearly stiff, turn the mixer down to the lowest speed and continue to beat while the syrup cooks.
  4. When the syrup has reached a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer for 1 minute to allow the steam to wash down any crystals that may have formed on the sides of the pan. Uncover and brush the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Cook the syrup until a thermometer reads 238° to 240°F, the soft-ball stage. Beating the whites at high speed, add the syrup in a slow, thin stream down the side of the bowl. Avoid pouring the hot syrup onto the spinning whisk. Continue to beat for 10 minutes, or until the bowl of the mixer is no longer warm. Use as directed in individual recipes.
• Hide ingredients for Whipped Cream 1 Whipped Cream (opens in new tab) Whipped Cream
  • 1 cup cold heavy cream
  • (2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 to 4 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar, or 2 teaspoons honey, to taste)
  • (½ teaspoon vanilla)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Beat in a large bowl (chill the bowl if your kitchen is very warm) with a hand mixer or balloon whisk or in a stand mixer set at medium-high speed, until stiff and billowy but not grainy: 1 cup cold heavy cream; (2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 to 4 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar, or 2 teaspoons honey, to taste); (½ teaspoon vanilla)
  2. Use immediately.