Chess Pie
A classic Southern custard pie with a crackly sugar top and a soft, buttery, faintly tangy centre.
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.39 a head
- Oven180°C (160°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Rub the 100 g cold butter into the flour and first pinch of salt until it looks like breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolk and water to make a dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
30 min - 2
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Roll out the pastry and line a 23 cm pie dish. Prick the base, line with baking paper and baking beans.
- 3
Bake blind for 15 minutes, remove the paper and beans, and bake 5 minutes more until pale gold.
20 min - 4
Whisk the melted butter, sugar, eggs, cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar and second pinch of salt until smooth.
- 5
Pour into the warm pastry case. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until set round the edge with a slight wobble in the middle and a golden top.
40 min - 6
Cool completely, at least 1 hour, before slicing. The filling sets as it cools.
60 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
