Green Tea Pie with Citrus Cream

this green tea pie with citrus cream is decadent, since it's pie crust topped with custard topped with whipped cream. but the bitter matcha in the custard and the citrus in the whipped cream keeps it from being too much, and it's delicious served with fresh berries.

we're at that time of the year again - blogiversary time. skipping a week of posting was previously a foreign language, and commenting on everyone else's blogs was a commonality among my 3 hour long lectures and dance show commercials. now, though? i've been taking a step back here and dedicating brain space to work, where i get to grow and challenge myself since my learning curve here has mellowed. i've been soaking up summer rays prepping my liver for an upcoming conference (read: happy hours with my co-workers), wiggling my toes in cool bay area sand, taking my friends out for good-bye pizza and birthday burritos. ironically: my blog has gotten more eyeballs than ever during this time of re-prioritization. strangeee.

i'll get to the green tea pie (the first blogiversary pie, and only the second non-cake blogiversary entry), but in case you wanted to see past celebrations:
2018: lemon crunch cake
2017: milk chocolate chunk scones with strawberry whipped cream
2016: thai tea vietnamese coffee cake
2015: caramelized nectarine cake

i did kenji lopez-alt's vodka pie crust, which has long lingered in my mind since i saw it on america's test kitchen long ago. it's definitely the chillest pie crust i've ever had in my kitchen. the first time i made it, there were multiple careless mistakes. AND YET, it wasn't too dry or soft or torn (and i didn't realize it tore until after i par-baked it; thank the pie heavens for emily luccheti).

the custard is super rich as written (a pint of heavy cream, tyvm), so i like to cut this with some lower fat options. i like doing 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup half and half. if you try to sub in skim milk, you're more of a daredevil than i, and i promise i won't say i told you so if it ends up a little leaner and curdled than you'd like. i also upped the matcha x4.5; the bitterness balances the decadent cream, the cream mellows the bitterness.

i like garnishing the pie with a nice floof of citrus-y whipped cream a la stonemill matcha, whose matcha custard pie is the reason why we're here today. my cousin mentioned that a brulee'd top  would also be good, and i wholeheartedly agree.

i don't love custard pies. this green tea pie is a game changer though, with its super creamy, not at all powdery, deliciously tea-flavored custard. the crust is buttery and flaky, tempting you to break off the crispy top pie crust even if you're normally not a huge pie crust fan. the citrus-y whipped cream adds a fruity element, though i love it even more when you add sweet/tart berries on the side (ignore the fact that there are no berries visible in these pictures).

1 year ago: berry eton mess | somen salad
2 years ago: bubbly strawberry jasmine tea | avocado cucumber soup with mango salsa
3 years ago: pesto eggplant zucchini pasta | thai tea vietnamese coffee cake
4 years ago: panzanella | caramelized nectarine cake
5 years ago: fresh blueberry waffles | eggplant with chickpeas, feta and spicy tomato sauce

5 from 1 vote

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Green Tea Pie with Citrus Cream

Prep Time

35 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Pie Crust Chill Time

1 hr

Total Time

2 hrs 35 mins

 

This green tea pie is creamy, smooth and decadent, from the green tea custard to the citrus whipped cream.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Asian, Fusion

Keyword: citrus, custard, custard pie, dessert, green tea, matcha, nut-free, pie, tea, vegetarian, whipped cream

Servings: 10 people

Calories: 403 kcal

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 tablespoons vodka cold
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 egg white beaten

Matcha Custard

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons matcha powder
• 1/2 stick melted butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Citrus Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream cold
• 1/3 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/3 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/3 teaspoon grated lime zest

Instructions

Pie Crust

1. Process 3/4 cups flour, salt, and sugar together in food processor until combined. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty into a medium bowl.
2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4" disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 425Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface (I like using a Silpato a 12" circle about 1/8" thick. Place a deep 9" round pie plate on top (top side down), then invert the pie crust into the pan, leaving at least 1" overhang on each side. Gently peel the Silpat off the crust. Gently lift the edge of the dough, then it fall into the pan and fit the bottom and sides of the pan (you can press/nudge it into place). Leave overhanging dough in place; refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Trim overhang to 1/2" beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Flute dough to flatten it against rim of pie plate. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
5. Line the crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake for 15 minutes.
6. Remove the foil and pie weights. Brush the egg white on all of the crust, then bake again for 1 minute to set the egg white. Cool completely.

Matcha Custard

1. Place the pre-baked pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, salt, and matcha powder. Stir in the butter, then the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Mix briskly until the filling is thin and light colored. Stir in the cream and half and half, followed by the vanilla.
3. Strain the filling through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the pie shell. Bake at 325F on the middle rack of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating 180 degrees when the edges start to set, about to 35 minutes into baking. The pie is finished when the edges are set and puffed slightly and the center is no longer liquid but still wobbles slightly. Be careful not to over-bake or the custard can separate; the filling will continue to cook and set as it cools. Allow pie to cool completely on a wire rack, 3 to 4 hours.

Citrus Cream

1. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add most of the zest, leaving a pinch of each for topping the pie. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
2. Mound onto the cooled pie, then top with the remaining zest. Slice and serve.

Recipe Notes

Pie crust from Cook’s Illustrated, custard adapted slightly from Four and Twenty Blackbirds in New York.

also peep the time i had too much custard, baked it off on the side, and topped it with cranberry sauce:

more tea-flavored deliciousness besides this green tea pie

jasmine cream puffs

summer berries and earl grey cream