Spring is my favorite time in the kitchen, when everything turns a little more floral and honeyed and the days stretch just enough to slow things down. I find myself baking this way, following what’s in bloom and letting those softer flavors carry through. Lilac honey is one of those things I make each spring to hold onto the season a little longer — steeped and golden, the blossoms folded in. This pie is made with it, whisked into cream and eggs and baked into a soft custard, just set at the edges with a gentle wobble at the center.
A few notes
For this recipe you’ll want a single, partially prebaked all-butter crust — Claire Saffitz’s pie dough is my go-to.
Lilacs bloom for only a few short weeks each spring, and lilac honey is one of my favorite ways to hold onto their flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, lavender honey makes a lovely substitute.
Bake until the edges are set and golden and the center still has a gentle wobble — it keeps setting as it cools.
Lilac Honey Custard Pie
Description
Adapted from Four & Twenty Blackbirds
Makes one 9-inch pie
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
All-butter crust for a 9-inch single-crust pie, partially prebaked
⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (8 g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon (8 g) stone-ground white cornmeal
½ teaspoon (2 g) salt
3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, melted
⅔ cup (227 g) lilac-infused honey
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk
1½ cups (360 g) heavy cream
2 teaspoons (10 g) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the partially prebaked pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cornmeal, and salt. Whisk in the melted butter, followed by the lilac-infused honey.
- Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add the heavy cream and lemon juice, and whisk well to combine.
- Strain the filling through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the pie shell (or strain into a bowl, then pour into the shell). Bake on the middle rack for 40–50 minutes, rotating the pie 180 degrees once the edges begin to set (about 30–35 minutes into baking). The pie is done when the edges are set and slightly puffed and the center is no longer liquid but still quite wobbly. Don’t overbake (the custard can separate); it will continue to cook and set after it comes out of the oven. Cool completely on a wire rack, 2–3 hours. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or cool.
- The pie will keep refrigerated for 2 days or at room temperature for 1 day.
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