Southern Chess Pie - The Keep At House Chef

Southern Chess Pie is a basic dessert that brings a wealthy, gooey custard filling with a touch of caramelized goodness on high. Fortunately, this pie is tremendous simple to make. This recipe requires a pie crust and just some extra substances that you simply most likely have already got readily available, so that you’ll have the ability to whip up this pie very quickly in any respect! It has such a deliciously candy and distinctive taste that everybody might be begging you for the recipe!

For less difficult pie recipes, strive our Easy Peasy Pumpkin Pie or our Old Fashioned Strawberry Pie.

Why Our Recipe

The proper gooey custard filling that’s wealthy and candy with cornmeal to supply texture.
A caramelized layer on high supplies the right end.
Tremendous easy to make in order that anybody from freshmen to pie professionals can take pleasure in.

A slice of chess pie on a plate. A fork is resting on the plate as the first bite has been taken.

Southern chess pie is good, indulgent, and downright scrumptious! The filling is just like custard, however the cornmeal offers it extra texture than custard. The sugar caramelizes on high of the pie because it bakes, making it even yummier. An excellent comparability is the flavour of pecan pie should you simply eliminated the pecans!

Ingredient Notes

An overhead view of the ingredients needed to make Chess Pie.

Pie Crust: This recipe doesn’t stroll you thru how one can make a pie crust, however don’t have any concern! We’ve got our Fool Proof Pie Crust recipe that we swear by. For those who’re in a pinch, you should use 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: Entire milk works finest, however you possibly can at all times use 2%.
Lemon Juice: You need to use bottled lemon juice for this recipe if you need, however contemporary is at all times finest. The lemon juice cuts by 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” reasonably than “chest pie.” We’d not know why it was ever deemed chess pie, however we do know one factor—it’s nonetheless a superbly scrumptious dessert!

An overhead view of a chess pie that has been sliced for serving. The first slice has been removed from the pan.

Forestall Cracking

For those who transfer this pie out of the oven too quick, you possibly can threat cracking the highest! One technique to forestall 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 Strategies

You possibly can at all times serve slices of chess pie plain, however you can too gown them up with a little bit one thing additional. Giving the pie a dusting of powdered sugar on high is the simplest technique 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 high with contemporary berries or add a little bit orange or lemon zest on high.