Buttermilk Eggnog Pie with Rum

This buttermilk pie with rum and lots of nutmeg, evokes the flavours of eggnog and the crispy pecan crust will let you know this is a Southern pie.

Pecan Crust:
2½ cups ground pecans
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
⅓ cup white sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Eggnog Filling:
1½ cups sugar
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated
½ tsp. kosher salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. dark rum
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Make the Pecan Crust:
Stir together ground nuts, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix in melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9" deep-dish style, pie pan. Chill the unbaked crust in the refrigerator for about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Place pie pan on a cookie sheet and position on the middle rack of a preheated oven.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Watch it carefully, as nut crusts burn easily; they don't have to turn black to taste burnt. Cool completely before filling.

Increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

Make the Filling and Assemble:
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar with the flour, nutmeg and salt. Whisk in the eggs 1 at a time. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the melted butter followed by the buttermilk, rum and vanilla.

Pour the filling into the warm crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4) and bake for about 40 minutes longer, until the custard is just set at the edge and slightly jiggly in the center.

Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool completely. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 1 (9") pie crust.