Chess Pie (2024)

FAQs

Why is my chess pie liquidy? ›

If you overbake it, it takes on a very strong eggy flavor and can actually be watery due to the overcooked eggs. So watch the pie carefully towards the end of baking and pull it from the oven when it just sets.

The “just pie” story is usually associated with the South, with references to Southern accents turning “just” into “chess,” but there is also a theory that chess pie derived from the cheese pies the English and American colonists made with cheese curds, sugar, and eggs.

To be safe, the rule is to bake the pie at 425 degrees for 15 minutes at first, then lower the temperature to 375 degrees and bake until the pie is done. Leave the pie in the oven while you change the temperature. “Done” is usually an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes total time.

Try the Toothpick Test

The way you test a cake for doneness also works for pumpkin pie: Insert a toothpick (or a knife) near the center of the pie and, if it comes out clean, your pie is done. If it's oh-so-close, keep in mind that the custard continues to cook as the pie cools.

Chestnut flour, which may be the reason behind chess pie's name, is available at Whole Foods Markets, health food stores and online. MAKE AHEAD: The pies can be held at room temperature for up to 24 hours, then refrigerate for up to 3 days. From Donovan, pastry chef and food writer in Nashville.

And, finally, as much as a steaming-hot slice of apple pie sounds appealing, let your pie rest for at least an hour before slicing. The filling will thicken as it cools and don't worry—your pie will still be plenty warm enough to gently melt that scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of it.

If you're making homemade fruit pie filling and it's always runny and wet, add a tablespoon or two more of cornstarch to it and cook it in the microwave for about three minutes or until it's thick, then put it in the pie shell and bake it. Should come out fine, let it completely cool before you cut and serve the pie.

Though it's not always called upon to thicken the filling, cornmeal is frequently what gives a chess pie it's velvety texture and yellow color. Buttermilk pie, meanwhile, always has buttermilk. More acids, like lemon juice or vinegar, are also frequently added to brighten up the recipe even more.

The player who made the first move becomes the second player and makes the second move on the board. This is demonstrated in the chess diagrams shown here. Switching the first piece can occur in games where the board starts empty and the first move consists of placing one piece.

What is the Difference Between a Sugar Cream Pie and Custard or Chess Pie? Chess pies and custard pies are mixed and poured right into the pie crust, and they contain eggs. A sugar cream pie is made without eggs, and the filling is usually prepared on the stovetop, reducing the overall baking time.

What's the difference between chess pie and pecan pie? ›

What is Chess Pie? Well this pie has the consistency of a pecan pie without the pecans, but tastes more akin to a custard pie, but it is not custard. It is very similar to buttermilk pie and in some parts of the country; they refer to this as a sugar pie.

Cornmeal: Along with flour, cornmeal helps thicken up the chess pie's custard.

Buttermilk pie, true to its name, has a creamy dairy-based filling that's both sweet and tangy. Like chess pie, it has a buttery pastry crust and the filling is also made with sugar, butter, and eggs.

A game of chess ends when a player puts the opposing player's king in a position that cannot avoid capture (checkmate). A game can also be won or lost through concession. A chess match can also end in a draw. This can happen through stalemate, mutual consent, checkmate being impossible to achieve, and in other ways.

The outer edges of the pie should be firm while the center will be a little jiggly, but not sloshy or unsteady. As the old adage goes, "It needs to jiggle like Jell-O but not wiggle like a wave." If the entire pie is wobbly, continue baking. Use a piecrust shield if it's browning too fast.