Almond Custard Pie

Raspberry Danish Murder and Double Fudge Brownie Murder

## Ingredients

**The Crust**

* 1 and ½ cups of crushed soda or Ritz Crackers ***(measure AFTER crushing)***
* 6 Tablespoons ***(¾ stick)*** salted butter, melted
* ⅓ cup brown sugar ***(pack it down when you measure it)***

**The Almond Custard**

* ¾ cup whole milk
* 1 cup heavy cream ***(that's whipping cream)***
* ⅔ cup smooth almond butter ***(I used Jif)***
* ¼ cup white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* ¼ cup brown sugar ***(pack it down when you measure it)***
* 4 large eggs
* sweetened whipped cream to garnish pie slices
* chopped, blanched almonds to garnish or fresh raspberries
* You will use a 9-inch pie plate for this recipe

## Directions

* Preheat oven to 350°F, rack in the middle position.
* Mix the cracker crumbs, butter, and brown sugar thoroughly.
* Press into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
* Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Then remove it from the oven, but DON'T TURN OFF THE OVEN.
* Let the crust cool on a wire rack or a cold burner while you make the filling.
* Combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer.
* Add the almond butter and allow it to sit for a minute. Then whisk it smooth.
* In a bowl of an electric mixer, mix the white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until the mixture is fluffy and light yellow. This will form part of your custard mixture.
* With the mixer running on LOW, add the hot milk mixture slowly to your bowl, mixing all the while.

**Hannah's 1st Note: If you add the hot milk mixture too fast, it make cook the eggs!**

* Set the pie crust on a drip pan ***(that's any larger pan with sides).***
* Pour only HALF of the custard mixture into the crust. You will add the second half of the custard mixture once your pie is on the oven shelf.

**Hannah's 2nd Note: The unbaked pie may be difficult to carry to the oven without spilling it. If you pour half of the custard into the pie shell first, pull out the oven rack just bit, stick in the pie and drip pan and THEN fill the pie with the rest of the custard mixture and carefully push in the oven rack, the custard mixture won't spill on the way to the oven.**

* Bake your pie at 350°F for 30 minutes.
* Test your pie while it's still in the oven by inserting the blade of a table knife one inch from the center. ***(You may have to pull out the rack a bit to do this.)***
* Pull out the knife and if there is still milky liquid clinging to the blade, your pie needs at least 5 minutes more in the oven.
* After the 5 minutes are up, test your pie with a clean table knife again. Repeat as often as necessary until the blade of the knife comes out clean.
* When your pie has set, remove it from the oven and place it on a cold stove burner or a wire rack for 15 minutes. Don't forget to shut off the oven.
* When the time is up, refrigerate your pie until it is completely cold. ***(You can tell by feeling the bottom of the pie pan. If it's still warm, your pie hasn't been refrigerated long enough.)***
* When your Almond Custard Pie has thoroughly chilled, make the Raspberry Jam Glaze and pour it over the top of your pie. Then refrigerate it. When the pie and glaze are completely chilled, slice the pie.
* Garnish each slice with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of chopped almonds or fresh raspberries if you desire.

***(Raspberry Jam Glaze recipe can be found on the following page.)***

Yield: This pie is very rich and delicious. I usually cut it into 8 pieces and serve it with plenty of strong, hot coffee.