Every week, our family descends on my mom’s house for an evening together. I probably eat way too much and am always exhausted by the time we get home. I try to bring something to help Mom out. Sometimes, it’s a side dish, sometimes it’s an appetizer, sometimes it is a dessert.Desserts are tricky in my house: M’s fiance M will only eat cookies with sprinkles on them, M loves chocolate, K likes chocolate but prefers fruit, Dad eats anything, and John always votes for his favorite peanut butter, chocolate combo. Only Awa, K’s husband E, and I are completely unpicky! I knew I liked him for some reason…

When this pie appeared in my inbox, almost like magic, from Tasting Table, I bookmarked it immediately. K loves grapefruit and I knew that, besides M&M, this would be right up the family’s alley! It took a few weeks to get it together with enough time to make this pie the way that it was deserved. Occasionally, when I bring something to the house, other people want to eat it so much, we come home without leftovers. That was the case here! I love when that happens – makes me feel like the hard work was a success.

Grapefruit Custard Pie with Saltine Crust (from Tasting Table)
Serves: 8-10 (one 9-inch pie)
Crust:

30 saltine crackers (about 1 cup crumbs)

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

5 tablespoons butter, melted

Grapefruit Custard Pie:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (about 2 grapefruits)

3 tablespoons Campari liqueur

1 cup heavy cream

Crust: In a food processor, grind the crackers to fine crumbs. Add sugar and melted butter; pulse until the crumbs are just mixed evenly. Pour the crumbs into an ungreased 9-inch pan. Spread evenly over the bottom and then up the sides. Freeze the crust until solid (about 8-10 minutes). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the frozen crust 14-16 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely and then refrigerate the crust for at least 10 minutes, until the filling is made.

Grapefruit Custard Pie: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and melted butter. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, incorporating each before adding another. Whisk in grapefruit juice, campari, and heavy cream. Strain the mixture into the pie shell.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center, while no longer liquid is still quite wobbly! Take care not to overbake as the custard will separate. The filling will continue to cook and set after the pie is removed from the oven.

Allow the pie to cool completely and then refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Until the next time my oven is on…