This rhubarb custard pie is sweet and tart with a creamy custard filling and a crunchy streusel topping. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect spring treat.
I couldn’t think of a better and more appropriate recipe to feature in the first ever post of my blog Rhubarb and Lavender. Given the name of my blog, it’s no surprise that rhubarb is a favourite ingredient of mine, and my family has been making this Rhubarb Custard Pie recipe for as long as I can remember. An easy, straightforward recipe, this pie is often the answer to the question of dessert when company is coming. With a sweet custard filling, tangy rhubarb, and a crunchy, crumble topping, I know this will become a family favourite of yours as well!
The rhubarb plant is particularly suited to our climate here on the west coast of BC, and every year our rhubarb patch seems to grow even larger. Of course, with recipes like this it’s not hard to put all that surplus produce to good use!
Ingredient Notes
This recipe makes use of basic pantry ingredients that you will likely have on hand. If you grow rhubarb in your garden, you may only need to source out the vanilla ice cream!
Pie crust: This recipe calls for a single 9-inch pie crust. I have included a basic lard pie crust recipe as that’s how my mother always made it, but feel free to use whatever pie crust recipe you prefer. Over the years I have made pie crusts with butter, shortening, and lard, and hands down, the flakiest crusts are made with lard. Tenderflake lard is a pure pork lard widely available in Canada and the secret weapon to achieving a crisp and flaky pie crust every time.
This recipe also works fine with frozen pie shells. Although, keep in mind that some frozen pie shells can be smaller than the standard glass pie pan that I use in this recipe.
Rhubarb: The star ingredient! I like to use fresh rhubarb for this recipe, but I have made it with frozen rhubarb and it worked out just fine. When using frozen rhubarb, make sure to use it frozen. If the frozen rhubarb pieces are very large (which they often are!), leave the rhubarb out for 15 minutes or so until it’s just starting to thaw, then chop the pieces smaller and carry on with the recipe. This makes cutting the frozen rhubarb easier and safer.
Nutmeg: The filling gets a nice spicy aroma from the addition of nutmeg which compliments the rhubarb perfectly.
Vanilla Ice Cream: I will go so far as to say that ice cream is non optional. With such a sweet and tart pie, the cool, creaminess of the ice cream cuts through the tang perfectly. And if the pie is served warm (which I highly recommend) then the play of warm and cold takes this rhubarb pie experience to the next level.
How to Make Rhubarb Custard Pie
First, start by making your pie crust. This will allow time for the dough to chill while you make the filling and topping.
Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and then cut in the cold lard until it resembles small, pea-sized pieces. Add cold water and mix just until combined, try not to overwork the dough. Press dough together to form a ball then wrap in saran wrap and chill for one hour.
For the filling, chop the rhubarb into bite-sized pieces. It doesn’t need to be cut too small or fine, you just don’t want large pieces. The pieces should be roughly the same size.
For the custard, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, flour, salt, and nutmeg. Add the rhubarb and stir. At this point you can set aside the filling and prepare the topping.
For the topping, combine the flour and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold butter until it resembles small, pea-sized pebbles. Set aside.
To assemble, roll out your pie dough and place in a 9-inch glass pie plate. Crimp the edges decoratively. Pour the rhubarb filling into the pie crust. If using a frozen pie shell, be sure not to overfill the crust, and leave room for the topping. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the pie filling.
Bake the pie at 375 deg F for 50-60 minutes. The pie should be well browned and slightly puffed on top. The pie will settle a bit, this is normal. Cool on a wire rack. The pie can be cut while still warm but not right out of the oven – the filling needs to set for at least an hour or two.
Pairing & Serving Suggestions
In case you missed it before, vanilla ice cream makes the perfect accompaniment to this pie. Let the pie cool until it is just warm or room temperature before serving. If desired, you can reheat leftovers of the pie to serve.
In terms of drink pairings, pie and ice cream naturally calls for a good cup of coffee. However, if you were thinking of pairing this dish with something more exciting, then I would suggest a sweet, white wine such as a Muscat or Sauternes. A dessert or ice wine would also work well, something white or rosé. I recently paired this dessert with a 2017 Ratafia from Moraine Estate Winery in Penticton, BC. Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, this sweet dessert wine pairs perfectly with fruit desserts.
