Valentine Custard Pie

Directions

Roll out the dough into a 14-inch (35-cm) round and transfer to a heart-shaped pie dish. Trim the edges of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch (12-mm) overhang. Fold under the excess dough and, using your thumb and fingers, decoratively flute the edges. Refrigerate or freeze the pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C).

Line the chilled piecrust with a piece of parchment paper. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake the crust for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and weights and continue baking until the crust is golden, 15 to 18 minutes more. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the half-and-half, amaretto, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and salt. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens enough so that it doesn’t drip off the whisk when it is lifted from the pan, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Garnish with the fruit as desired, cut into slices and serve. Serves 8.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen