Blood Orange Buttermilk Pie

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Make the crust: Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle position.

2. Step 2

   Whisk together the graham crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Whisk in the melted butter until the texture is like wet sand. Pat the crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees.

3. Step 3

   Make the filling: Add the sugar and melted butter to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat for 1 minute, until the mixture is lighter in color. (It will not be fluffy; that’s OK.) Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.

4. Step 4

   Add the flour and cornstarch and beat for 1 minute on low. Pour in the buttermilk and blood orange juice and beat until just combined, scraping the bowl once or twice. (The mixture may look curdled, but will become smooth as it bakes.)

5. Step 5

   Pour the filling into your cooled crust and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until the center is barely jiggly and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes more.

6. Step 6

   Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature on a wire rack, about 1 hour (see Tip). You can serve warm, at room temperature or cold, garnished with slices of blood orange if you’d like.