Eggnog Custard Pie

Several weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to create a holiday recipe using products from one of my favorite stores - World Market! My mind was spinning with possibilities but I kept returning to one mouthwatering word. Eggnog.

Eggnog is one of my favorite holiday flavors and I consume as much of the thick, creamy tonic as I can during December - the one month where drinking heavy cream, sugar, and eggs is not only permissible, it is encouraged. Best month ever! To my delight, World Market stores appreciate eggnog as much as I do, and they have a number of products that celebrate the flavors of this festive beverage!

Eggnog Custard Pie {Pedantic Foodie}

After my brain settled upon the idea of an eggnog-inspired dessert, there was really only one thing to do.  I had to make a pie.  And what a pie it was... 

This pie will make all your eggnog dreams come true. The custard is vaguely reminiscent of a creme brûlée custard - rich and silky smooth. The rum-scented whipped cream adds a pleasant kick to the lighter flavors of vanilla and nutmeg, and the crisp eggnog wafer sticks are the perfect topping.

I speak candidly when I say that this is probably my new favorite pie. Clear away the Bûche de Noëls and gingerbread houses. This pie will be getting all the attention at your holiday dessert table.

You can find the recipe below and links to the World Market speciality ingredients I used here!

Merry Baking! 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

This post was sponsored by Cost Plus World Market. As always, all opinions are my own.

Eggnog Custard Pie

serves 8

for the graham cracker crust

  • 12 whole graham crackers

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the work bowl of your food processor combine graham crackers and granulated sugar. Pulse until the

graham crackers are finely chopped. Add butter and pulse until the crust has begun to pull away from the

sides of the bowl and holds together when pressed between two fingers.

Press the crust into a 9-inch pie plate, using the palm of your hand or a small glass. Start in the middle

and slowly work the crust up the sides of the pan.

Bake the crust for eight minutes and allow to cool while you prepare the filling.

for the custard

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup Aspen’s Eggnog Mix

  • 4 egg yolks

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch

  • 1 World Market Madagascar vanilla bean, split and scraped

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated World Market Whole Nutmeg

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until slightly lightened in color. Stir in heavy cream and cornstarch

and set aside.

Whisk to combine milk, sugar, and Aspen’s Eggnog Mix in a large saucepan and place over medium heat.

Cook, stirring often, until the milk is steaming, but not boiling. Remove from heat and pour 1/3 of the

milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Add the tempered eggs to the pan

of milk and return to heat. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.

The consistency should be like that of a thin pudding. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer and

fold in vanilla bean and grated nutmeg.

Pour the custard into the prepared pie crust and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on

the top. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, or overnight to set.

for the whipped cream + topping

  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 1 teaspoon rum extract

  • 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

  • 12 World Market Eggnog Stick Wafers, chopped roughly

In a large bowl, combine whipping cream and rum extract. Beat on high speed using an electric mixer,

until soft peaks form. With the mixer still running, slowly incorporate confectioner’s sugar until well

combined.

Fold the whipped cream onto the chilled pie and sprinkle with Eggnog Wafers. Do this just before

serving, otherwise the wafers will become soggy.

Enjoy!

{The 1st Meal} Orange Glazed Bundt with Dark Chocolate & Pecans

Good morning.!  Are you still deep in the gravy hangover?  Or are you, like me, too busy fawning over your pile of Black Friday treasures?  I thought so.  Do not worry, you definitely needed two more sweaters - they were on sale and you look so good in them!  Oops.  Fell into the Friday game again.

Orange Glazed Bundt with Dark Chocolate & Pecans {Pedantic Foodie}

Remember how we made these Cinnamon Sugar Cheese Buns last week?  Yeah, they were really good.  Hey, that was pretty sneaky, eating all the cream cheese centers and leaving the outer crust.  I bet you pulled all the marshmallows out of the cereal box as a kid too.  Heehee, I like you.  Let’s be friends.

Orange Glazed Bundt with Dark Chocolate & Pecans {Pedantic Foodie}

Do you also remember my promise to bring you yet another scrumptious application for that bundt dough you wisely stowed away in the freezer?  I made good on this promise, unlike the promise I made to myself to back off the carbs.  I’ll get to it.  I still have a few weeks before wedding dress shopping, right?  Meh.  That’s depressing.  I’m going to eat some more bread to ease my guilt.  Don’t be like me.  But make this bread.  Yes, do that.

Orange Glazed Bundt with Dark Chocolate & Pecans {Pedantic Foodie}

If you cannot tell, I binged watched some Great British Bakeoff and now I’m making fancy breads. 

Orange Glazed Bundt with Dark Chocolate & Pecans {Pedantic Foodie}

Making this bread was a euphoric experience.  It was as if a warm, candlelit, old English kind of glow swept over my kitchen and I pretended that I was Mrs. Cratchit making the sweet, cherished Christmas bread for her adoring family.  There’s just something about this bread that sings of the holidays.

Baking bread feels so good.  It’s rudimentary, yet so momentous when baked at home.  It makes the kitchen feel cozy in a way that salads simply cannot.

Orange Glazed Bundt with Dark Chocolate & Pecans {Pedantic Foodie}

For this recipe, our bundt dough is coated with melted butter, then sprinkled generously with orange sugar, chopped dark chocolate, and pecans.  The combination is unsurpassable - the perfect treat for these cold, wintry mornings.

After the filling has been pressed into the dough, the dough is rolled and shaped into a loop - forming lovely swirls of chocolatey orange filling throughout the bundt.  

While the bundt is still warm, it is brushed with a syrupy orange glaze that makes the outer crust sweet and sticky. 

This is one time where you can politely lick your fingers without shame.

Orange Glazed Bundt with Dark Chocolate & Pecans {Pedantic Foodie}

Brew a pot of coffee and cut yourself a slice (or two).  Breakfast is served.

Orange Glazed Bundt with Dark Chocolate & Pecans {Pedantic Foodie}

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

Glazed Orange Bundt with Chocolate and Pecans

*This dough recipe will make two bundts if you use the entire batch of dough, or 1 bundt when divided.  If you wish to make the full recipe, rather than freezing a portion of the dough, double the recipe for the orange chocolate filling.

for the bundt dough  

  • 1/2 cup warm water (about 95 degrees F)
  • 3 packages active dry yeast (3 scant tablespoons) 
  • 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature 
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 
  • 3/4 unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 3 large eggs 
  • 6 cups bread flour 
  • 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons salt 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

In the bowl of your stand mixer combine all ingredients and mix on low speed, using the paddle attachment, until just combined.  Then, change to a dough hook and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes, until smooth, shiny, and elastic.  The dough will look rather loose, but resist the urge to add more flour.

Coat a large bowl with butter and place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in volume, about one hour.  

When the dough has doubled, turn it out unto a floured surface, punching down the dough to release some of the air.

This is where you have to make your decision. 

If dividing and freezing, cut the dough into two equal pieces and fold each portion into a rectangle by folding the ends in towards the center.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap.  The dough can be frozen for up to one week.  

If using immediately, shape each portion into a rectangle and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.  While the dough is resting, prepare the filling. 

for the filling

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 
  • 1 medium naval orange, zested
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • egg wash (1 egg and 1 teaspoon water whisked together)

In a small bowl, combine sugar and orange zest.  Use the tines of a fork to press the zest into the sugar. 

Roll the dough into a 12x8 rectangle and brush with melted butter.  Rub the sugar over the dough and then sprinkle with pecans and chocolate.  

Roll the dough lengthwise, tucking the dough under itself to form a tight roll.  Squeeze the dough gently to extend the roll.  You should be left with an 18-inch roll of dough.  Form a loop by tucking one end into the other and pinch to seal the ends together.

Grease a bundt pan liberally with butter.  Place the loop into the bundt pan and use kitchen scissors to snip eight small slits into the top of the bundt.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

When the dough has finished rising, brush with egg wash and place in the oven.  Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the dough is deep golden and sounds hollow when tapped.  

While the bundt is baking, prepare the glaze. 

for the glaze

  • juice of 1 naval orange 
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 whole cloves

In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, sugar, and cloves.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often.  Cook for 10 minutes, until a thick syrup has formed.  Strain to remove cloves.  

Remove the bundt from the oven and brush with orange glaze.   Glaze until the dough no longer absorbs the syrup - you may not use all of the glaze.  Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before removing from the pan.  Serve immediately or wrap in plastic and store for several days. Enjoy!

{The 1st Meal} Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecan Cinnamon Streusel

Happy almost weekend.  Are you ready for it?

I hope that you will eat at least half of the candy you bought before the children start ringing your doorbell.  I hope that you will throw aside all inhibitions and dress up like, well, whatever the heck you want and go out for a fancy dinner.  I hope that you will bake at least one new thing.  Perhaps these muffins?  You really should.

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecan Cinnamon Streusel {The Pedantic Foodie}

It’s almost Halloween and Pinterest tells me that I should be making cookies that look like spiders and severed fingers, but ew!  Not even going there.  

I will however, eat all your candy corn.  While we are on the subject, how do you eat your candy corn?  Do you eat it layer by layer?  Please say yes.

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecan Cinnamon Streusel {The Pedantic Foodie}

While I don’t go in for the Halloween-themed desserts, I am never opposed to making some season-appropriate treats to enjoy with my coffee while I pretend to be too grown up to gorge on Snickers bars.

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecan Cinnamon Streusel {The Pedantic Foodie}

These muffins are scented with orange zest, dotted with tart cranberries, and covered in a nutty, buttery, streusel topping.

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecan Cinnamon Streusel {The Pedantic Foodie}

These muffins are light, cakey, and incredibly moist.  Do not start counting how many you ate.  Just think about all the Snickers bars you resisted because you were too busy buttering muffins.

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecan Cinnamon Streusel {The Pedantic Foodie}

This weekend, soften some butter, bake a batch of muffins, brew a pot of coffee and have a leisurely breakfast while the morning light is bright and the air is still crisp.  This is how we bid farewell to October.  She’s been good to us. 

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecan Cinnamon Streusel {The Pedantic Foodie}

Stop eating candy for a few minutes and begin well.

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecan Cinnamon Streusel {The Pedantic Foodie}

Happy weekending! 

Sincerely, 

  Pedantic Foodie

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Pecan Cinnamon Streusel Topping

makes 1 dozen / recipe adapted from Culinary Institute of America’s Baking at Home

for the streusel topping

    - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    - 1/4 cup pecans, chopped finely

    - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

    - 1/4 cup brown sugar

    - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Combine flour, brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon in a small bowl.  Use a fork to work in butter, forming a rough crumble.

for the muffins

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • zest of one navel orange 
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a twelve cup muffin pan with muffin cup liners.  

In a medium bowl, sift to combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine milk, vanilla, and egg.  

In a large bowl, use a hand-mixer to beat butter on high speed for one minute.  Add sugar and beat for 3-5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in orange zest.  Slowly incorporate milk and flour mixtures in small increments, alternating between the two while mixing on low speed.  Fold in fresh cranberries. 

Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to divide the batter among the muffin cups.  

Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with about a tablespoon of streusel mixture.  Press down slightly to ensure that the streusel sticks to the top of the muffin.  

Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are deep golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Enjoy!