Sour Cream & Rum Raisin Pie

 

I know what you must be thinking, Annie has finally cracked under quarantine and she's become a mad pie scientist. While that is partially true (and what I secretly strive to be) I stand by this sour cream and raisin pie! I saw this on a menu at an old diner recently and I had to try it. I'm not exactly sure what I expected but what I got was a creamy spiced custard with raisins...almost like a cheesecake and a mincemeat pie had a pie baby? Weird, but oh so tasty. 

I decided to add even more flavor and soak my raisins in vanilla and rum for 10 minutes before adding them to the pie mixture. You'll definitely taste the rum but it won't be overwhelming and it also gives the raisins a better texture. If you don't like meringue, you can definitely replace the topping with whipped cream - whatever you prefer! 

Sour Cream & Rum Raisin Pie

makes one 9-inch pie

Prepare your pie crust ahead of time and line a 9-inch pie dish (store-bought is fine too). If you're making your crust from scratch, I love THIS ONE from Ina Garten.

3/4 cup raisins

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1-2 TBS of rum (depending on how much you want that flavor to come through)

1 cup of boiling water

Place raisins, vanilla, and rum in a small bowl. Carefully pour about a cup of boiling water over the raisin mixture and let sit for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the filling. 

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves 

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1. Place the pie shell in the heated oven and cook for 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, salt, sour cream, eggs, and lemon juice, until fully combined. Drain the raisins and combine with the pie filling, mixing with a large spoon to incorporate.

3. Spoon the filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Place the pie on a baking sheet, and into the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pie begins to brown slightly. 

Bakers Note: the pie filling will puff up above the pie crust while baking but will settle into a perfect custard when cooled. Allow pie to cool on a cooling rack until room temperature. Serve at room temperature or chilled. If desired, add whipped cream prior to serving. If there are leftovers, store in the fridge.