Yuzu chess pie with black sesame crust

This recipe takes the classic chess pie up a notch with the addition of tart yuzu and earthy black sesame. Serve it cold or room temp, it holds up great!


Makes one 9 inch pie

Ingredients

For the crust: 

  • 10 graham cracker sheets 
  • 1/3 cup black sesame seeds 
  • 5 tbs melted butter
  • 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, ground up 
  • 1/4 cup sugar 

For the filling: 

  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon yuzu zest
  • 5 tablespoons fresh yuzu juice, or use from a bottle (make sure it’s pure yuzu)
  • 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal  
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly
Instructions
  1. Using a food processor, grind the graham crackers and walnuts to a fine sand. Add half of your black sesame seeds and pulse a few times. 
  2. Combine your crumbs, the rest of the sesame seeds, melted butter, and sugar until a paste forms. 
  3. Press into a 9 inch pie tin 
  4. Bake the crust for 8 minutes at 425. 
  5. While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, sugar, zest, juice, corn meal, and flour. 
  6. Slowly whisk in the cooled butter until combined. 
  7. Reduce heat to 325. Pour your custard mixture into the pie crust.
  8. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the custard is set and just barely jiggles in the center. 
  9. Cool on counter for 3 hours.