The Jefferson Davis Pie

Written By J.R. Dunmore

If you are looking for a Kentucky staple that is certain to pair greatly with any of my dear friend Chase Steely’s eggnog recipes for your Christmas events. Look no further, as I present to you, my favorite recipe for the Jefferson Davis Pie. — J.R. Dunmore

A Quick Bit Of History

The Jefferson Davis Pie, sometimes called the Kentucky Pie, is a custard pie, similar to a chess pie. Its origins are obscure, to say the least, with some claiming that it was a recipe created by a slave woman with the name of Jefferson Davis added much later, others that the slave woman named it the Jeff Davis Pie herself, and others still claim that it found its origins in the Davis household being a family recipe. With many different versions of the pie, it’s hard to tell if the references to the pies across history are the same pie, or different pies by the same name.

What the truth of the matter is, I cannot say. However, I trust this quandary into the hands of Mr. Steely once he cracks the code on eggnog.

Chase, I know you are reading this, so I trust this great mystery into your capable charge should you find it practicable to investigate.

My most recent Jefferson Davis Pie as it was rising in the oven.

The Recipe

This is the recipe from the Sweet Tea And Cornbread Blog. I will be rewriting it verbatim, and using their images here, I will also include my own deviations below.

Pie Ingredients

1 deep dish pie shell, unbaked

1 cup white granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tbs. flour

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup heavy cream

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Whipped Cream Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 Tbs. white sugar

1 Tbs. good Kentucky Bourbon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix the sugars, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add cream and mix.

3. Add eggs and mix.

4. Add butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla and mix

   

5. Place the pie shell on a cookie sheet. This helps the pie cook evenly and it catches any spill overs. Pour the mixture into the shell and carefully place in the oven. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for approximately 40 -45 minutes. It will puff up some, but will fall back down when it cools. Cool and serve with whipped cream... bourbon whipped cream is especially good!

   

6. Whip cream and sugar until peaks form and then fold in bourbon. Serve immediately.

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   How did I deviate? Truth be told, very little. I measured the vanilla with my heart rather than the teaspoon. In our oven, the optimal time for the pie was very near the prescribed time. Although, with it being a custard pie, I think it wise to watch it. I was pressed for time, so I used a premade pie crust from the store, that did just fine. Do not buy the crumbly crust, this is the kind you buy cold in a little roll.

   I used a kitchen aid to quickly make the whipped cream. I also doubled the whipped cream and I’m glad that I did because I wouldn’t have had enough for our party. In addition, I used Old Pogue Old Maysville Club Kentucky Straight Rye. This I also measured with my heart. The men at the party thought that the sweet custard pie paired well with a strong whipped cream, and the women thought it was a bit heavy for their liking. In fact, the joke of the night was that someone could take a shot of the whipped cream and be laid out. I liked it. In hindsight, I would have made it a little weaker for the ladies present, so it may be better to follow the recipe here.

   My final change was the inclusion of a hickory syrup drizzle. This was very hit-or-miss. I really liked the combination of flavors, but some thought that the hickory overpowered the pie. Nevertheless, the pie was a hit, and I will certainly be making it again.