Southern Chess Pie - The Keep At Dwelling Chef

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

For easier 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 prime supplies the right end.
Tremendous easy to make in order that anybody from learners to pie execs can get pleasure from.

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 nice, indulgent, and downright scrumptious! The filling is much like custard, however the cornmeal offers it extra texture than custard. The sugar caramelizes on prime of the pie because it bakes, making it even yummier. A very good 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 methods to make a pie crust, however haven’t any worry! We now have our Fool Proof Pie Crust recipe that we swear by. For those who’re in a pinch, you need to use a store-bought pie crust, however simply make sure 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 essential to the normal taste and texture of chess pie.
Milk: Complete milk works finest, however you possibly can at all times use 2%.
Lemon Juice: You should use bottled lemon juice for this recipe if you’d like, however contemporary is at all times finest. The lemon juice cuts by means of 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 individuals used to retailer their meals in to maintain it contemporary, and that it was as soon as once more misunderstood and changed into “chess pie” slightly than “chest pie.” We’d not know why it was ever deemed chess pie, however we do know one factor—it’s nonetheless a wonderfully scrumptious dessert!

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

Stop Cracking

For those who transfer this pie out of the oven too quick, you possibly can danger cracking the highest! One strategy to stop 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 Solutions

You possibly can at all times serve slices of chess pie plain, however it’s also possible to gown them up with a little bit one thing additional. Giving the pie a dusting of powdered sugar on prime is the simplest strategy 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 prime with contemporary berries or add a little bit orange or lemon zest on prime.

Storage Directions

Retailer at room temperature by overlaying the pie loosely with plastic wrap or foil for as much as 2 days.

Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container or coated with plastic wrap or foil for as much as 5 days.

Freeze particular person slices then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a resealable freezer bag. Retailer within the freezer for as much as 2 months. Thaw within the fridge earlier than serving.

Extra scrumptious pie recipes . . .

Watch the video beneath the place Caytlin will stroll you thru each step of this recipe. Typically it helps to have a visible, and we’ve at all times acquired you coated with our cooking present. You’ll find the entire assortment of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or proper right here on our web site with their corresponding recipes.

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