Eggnog Cream Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie, or 8 servings

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1 recipe Gingersnap Crust

21/2 cups whole milk, divided

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon table salt

4 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons Jamaican rum (Appleton's Special Gold)

2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin

1 cup heavy cream

For serving:

Lightly sweetened fresh whipped heavy cream

Freshly grated nutmeg

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1. Prepare gingersnap crust. Chill the crust in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

2. Heat 21/4 cups of milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming (don't boil). Keep warm over very low heat.

3. Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is smooth and pale. Immediately measure out 1 cup of the hot milk and slowly add it to the yolk mixture, pouring it in a thin stream and whisking constantly.

4. Slowly add the tempered yolks to the hot milk in the saucepan, pouring in a thin stream and whisking constantly. Turn the heat under the saucepan up to medium and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens to a pudding consistency and a few large bubbles rise to the surface, about 5 minutes. Once the bubbles appear, continue cooking the custard, whisking constantly, 2 more minutes.

5. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, vanilla extract, and rum, whisking until the custard is smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool slightly.

6. Sprinkle the gelatin across the surface of the remaining 1/4 cup milk and let soften 5 minutes.

7. Whisk the bloomed gelatin into the custard and set the bowl in the refrigerator to chill until cool, 15 to 20 minutes, whisking at 5-minute intervals to prevent the edges from setting.

8. Whip the heavy cream to medium peaks and fold it into the cooled custard in thirds, mixing the last third just until no white streaks remain.

9. Retrieve the gingersnap crust from the refrigerator and spoon the mousse into the prepared shell and smooth top.

10. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the pie overnight (at least 12 hours, or up to 3 days) before slicing and serving.

11. Serve cold with whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg.

- From Holly Ricciardi owner/pastry chef Magpie

Per serving (based on 10): 417 calories, 5 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 31 grams sugar, 26 grams fat, 172 milligrams cholesterol, 271 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.EndText