Spiked Custard Pie for the Holidays

I was home sick recently. (Hmm, I wonder why? Maybe it’s all the holiday baked goods I’ve been eating here and here.) Slumped on my sofa during the day, wrapped in my throw that I really should take in for some dry cleaning, I was watching the Food Network, of course.

At the time, it was Paula Deen’s holiday special. And I have to admit, I’m not a fan of her Southern cooking because of all the butter and fat she uses. (I’m also not a fan of her voice, but I have to say it’s starting to grow on me.) As I was about to flip to another channel, I saw a promo for the next segment showcasing a recipe for eggnog pie. Mmm, eggnog.

So after the commercials, Deen introduced one of her sons, who demonstrated making the pie. I forgot which son. The one with chubby cheeks. Does that narrow it down? Anywho, it was a really simple recipe and I liked the idea of an eggnog flavor so I made it this weekend.

It was very simple (made simpler by using a frozen pie crust I still had in my freezer) and used very few ingredients. After it was done baking, the texture of the custard was so clean and smooth that I thought I was a professional. The only thing is I thought the white rum that the recipe called for was a bit sharp for a dessert. It really tasted like alcohol but without getting drunk because the alcohol probably evaporated in the baking.

If you feel like trying this recipe for the holidays, I’d suggest using a sweeter alcohol like brandy or Madeira (although it might make your custard darker in color). And I would add just a tad bit more sugar than the one cup. I also didn’t serve it with whipped cream as suggested.

Here’s the link to the recipe on the Food Network’s site. Happy holidays!