Coffee Cream Pie

Hey guys! I’ve got an easy little pie for you all just in time for Easter, or for any time really! If you’ve ever had a French Silk Pie, this is kind of like that, but coffee flavored instead of chocolate!

Eating a slice of pie for breakfast is maybe one of the best parts of being an adult, and this pie throws coffee into that mix at the same time. It’s fluffy, creamy, and pretty dang addictive, so let’s get to it!

How to Make Coffee Cream Pie

This pie starts off with a coffee custard. It’s a simple process, but one that you need to take your time on to get it just right. Start by whisking together some sugar, cornstarch, instant espresso powder, and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and milk, and begin to heat the mixture slowly over medium-low heat, whisking often.

Meanwhile, we’re whisking together the egg yolks and additional sugar in a small bowl until they become super pale and ribbony. Once the milk mixture is steaming, we can start to slowly drizzle in about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Then, pour the whole thing back into the pot, and whisk vigorously until thickened.

This step is super important. You want to keep the heat on medium low, and you can’t walk away from it at this point. You really need to whisk it constantly, and it’s going to seem like nothing is happening for a while, but then it’ll start thickening very quickly. Then, it’s off to the fridge to chill!

While the custard chills, make your pie crust since it needs to bake for a few minutes, and fully cool down. And finally, whip up a bunch of whipped cream. I like to add instant vanilla pudding mix to my whipped cream for a couple of reasons- it gives it a subtle flavor and sweetness without going overboard, and most importantly, it will stabilize the whipped cream and keep it from splitting over time as it sits in the fridge.

Once everything is nice and cold, you can start folding about 3/4 of the whipped cream into your custard. This process also takes a bit of patience, and you want to keep it slow to make sure you keep it fluffy! Spread the mixture into your pie crust, top it with the rest of the whipped cream and optionally some shaved chocolate, and you’ve got yourself a super easy Coffee Cream Pie! It need to chill for about 4 hours before serving.

Tips & Tricks For Coffee Cream Pie

Making a whipped cream pie is pretty simple, and the hard parts of this recipe are mostly in the custard itself. I’ve got some tips to help you along the way!

• Cook the custard on low-medium heat and not any hotter. You want the process to be fairly slow- this ensures that your custard will thicken properly, and that it will temper the eggs properly!
• Don’t walk away after adding the eggs. You really need to whisk the mixture constantly at this point to prevent lumps. It’s going to seem like nothing is happening for a while, but then it’ll happen quick!
• Once the custard thickens, remove it from the heat and keep whisking. This will help the mixture continue to thicken without over cooking. Once it’s thick enough to show lines in the mixture as you whisk, you can pull it off the heat and keep whisking for about 30 seconds to a minute.
• If you get lumps, just strain them out! You can use a fine mesh sieve while the custard is still hot. Press it through and you’ll have a smooth custard.
• The custard needs to be FULLY chilled before you start folding in the whipped cream. If it’s not, the pie will end up thinner, and not slice-able. Don’t rush the chilling- it needs to be fully cold!
• I am at about 5,000 ft above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000 ft and 7,000 ft above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes!

Hope you guys enjoy this one- it’s definitely one of our family favorites!