Name: Rhubarb Cream Pie
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2/3 cup Flour; 3 1/2 T Lard; Pinch Salt; 2 T Water; 1 cup Sugar; 5 T Flour; Pinch Salt; 1 1/2 cup Heavy Cream; 2 cups Rhubarb (Diced)

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A creamy, sweet and tangy, fresh dessert for your dinner table. Easy enough for a weekday, special enough for Sunday dinner.

If rhubarb isn’t your thing, any berry or small fruit can be substituted for this delicious pie!

Jump To Recipe

Rhubarb. Springtime's first fresh fruit.

As springtime! The birds are singing. The ground is getting warm and pushing up the first shoots of the spring Fruits and veggies. Asparagus, strawberries, and rhubarb all arrive in the Spring. But if I was judging these foods on their taste I only truly like one. That's the strawberry. Asparagus tastes like limp stringy grass and usually, rhubarb is too sour. But my husband likes rhubarb so I usually made a pie or two for him. That is until I met the rhubarb cream pie!

Now I make it for me!

And him.

And my family. And cut up gallons of rhubarb to freeze for the rest of the year. It's that good!

When I was first served rhubarb cream pie I was at my sister-in-law's house. As I said, I don't like rhubarb pie. The double-crusted pie sometimes also has strawberries in it. So as this was set before me, I was skeptical. However, I have a rule that I will try anything once. So if for no other reason than to not be rude, I tried this pie

The first bite slowly went to my mouth…

If I had been a cartoon character, my eyes would have started sparkling and I would have dived into that creamy, tangy richness. But I would like to believe I am a sane human being, so I simply ask for seconds.

I also ask for the recipe. In Mennonite circles, the highest praise you can give a dish is to ask for the recipe. And friends, this dish is so good, I have to share it with you!

“A pie so good you could dive into it - if you were a cartoon character! #Rhubarb-cream-pie”

— SimplyLivingHomestead.com

As Easy as Pie - Really!

You could go out and buy a frozen pie crust from the grocery store, but I wouldn't advise it. Making pie crust is not hard and it results in a far superior product. Homemade pie crust is lighter and flakier.

The trick is to use a light hand.

We are not making bread here. Kneading is completely off-limits. Mix only until the dough has formed a ball. Then stop.

Another trick is to a high-quality fat. I use lard in this recipe but I have also used butter to make a beautiful flaky crust. Here you can read about pie crusts, fats, and how to make it healthier for your family.

So let's get on with it!

The Crust

Start with a medium mixing bowl. In it put the Flour and Lard. With a fork cut the lard into the flour. You are going for a semi-fine crumble. It’s okay for there to be a few larger pieces of lard in the crumble. Next, add the water to the crumble, a little at a time, combining it with your fork. When the dough starts to come together and is hard to combine with the fork, use your hands to push the dough together into a ball. Run your hands under cold water and pat dry to keep the dough from sticking to them. The key is to not work the dough any more than it has to be to come together.

When the dough is formed, lightly flour the countertop. shape the ball into a disk and roll with a rolling pin into a big circle. Take your time rolling it out, flipping the dough once or twice to keep your crust from sticking. I’m not good at thicknesses, so my gauge is to go about an inch wider than the pie pan you will be using.

When you are satisfied with the diameter of the crust, gently lift one edge laying it over on itself. set the pie pan next to the crust and in one motion lift the crust into the pie dish. Unfold the crust. If it tore in the move, use a little water to seal the crack back together. Roll the extra dough up so it stands taller than the pie pan. I rest all the extra dough on the lip of the pan.

Crimping the Crust

There are 2 ways that I know how to chimp a pie. This one I like to call the wave. You can find the other one (starlight) in my Fruit pies recipe.

You will be using both hands. With your left thumb and index finger, pinch the dough in a gentle hold. With your right thumb and index finger pinch the dough a little ways away from your left fingers. Roll your right thumb into the gap between your index fingers. This will create a kink in the crust. To continue, move your left hand to hold the new kink in place and continue rolling in the same fashion. This will create a wave all around the pie.

The Filing

Create the filling by whisking together sugar, flour, salt, and heavy cream in a bowl. You want to remove all the lumps before adding the rhubarb. Add the rhubarb and stir to combine. Pour into the awaiting pie crust.

This is an excellent time to tell you that if you made it this far, you may be thinking to yourself, “This is great, but I don't have any rhubarb.” Well, my friend, you are in luck! This pie works well with any berry or small fruit you would like! Substitute to your liking!

It's also good to note that while I call for fresh rhubarb, frozen will work just as well. Thaw it before placing it in the pie.

Baking

When your pie has been assembled, place it in an oven at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. You are looking for the top to be a light brown color and only a slight jiggle to the filling if you wiggle it. Allow it to cool when removing it from the oven. This helps the filling to set so that you can slice and serve it. I find chilling it in the fridge to be the best way to eat this lovely rhubarb cream pie.

Store it in the fridge for up to a week if you don't eat it all at once.

Did you make this pie? Share it with me on Instagram! Tag @thesimplylivinghomestead and hashtag it #simple_eats