rhubarb pie

Annika's rhubarb custard pie--wow!

Annika, age 10, has a singular talent for baking. Thank heaven, because it is not my top area. Recently, she made this rhubarb custard pie with a lattice crust. It's the tart-sweet combo that is so freakishly delicious. 

rhubarb filling

I am so lucky to live with this lover of the fine pastry arts. There are scads of delicious memories and photos of Annika's wonderful treats, so many that I have a backlog of "Annika baking posts" waiting in the wings. The photo of her gloriously flaky "heart biscuits" was the inspiration for the title photo and name of this blog. They are actually little strawberry shortcakes.

the pretty woven lattice--the girl figured it out on her own

One of Annika's many inspired dreams is to open her own bakery. She claims she will absolutely refuse to turn her bakery into a chain, no matter how successful it is, as the wish is to do all the baking herself. I don't think anyone else could pour as much love into the batter as Annika does. (She has conceded to the possibility of hiring a helper or two to work the counter.)

I can't wait to be her first customer. 

Rhubarb Custard Pie

--Grandma Hull's recipe*

(the #1 favorite rhubarb recipe for 

4 generations of women in my mom's

 family, Annika & me included)

3 eggs

3 T milk

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

3/4 t nutmeg

4 generous cups rhubarb (pink, cut into 1/2" pieces)

1 T butter

double crust for 9" pie

Beat eggs & milk slightly. Mix sugar, flour and nutmeg, add to the eggs. Stir in rhubarb. Pour into pastry lined 9" pie pan and dot with butter. Cover with a lattice top.  Bake 50-60 minutes until slightly browned and custard is done (a knife inserted into the custard should come out clean)

*Recipe courtesy the Willis Family Cookbook, with many thanks to Aunt Claire and Uncle Frank for that excellent collection of time-honored family recipes.