Make Ahead

Haussner's Inspired Strawberry Pie

July 21, 2014
4.3
6 Ratings
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

Haussner's was a fabled Baltimore restaurant known for their massive German menu and massive oil painting collection. They were also known for what is arguably the best strawberry pie. My Dad would always order one when he had dinner parties and I would reap the leftover benefits for breakfast the following morning. The pie was so good I couldn't even get it on a plate; I'd eat it straight from the box while sitting on the counter. Haussner's closed years ago taking the pie with it, that pie was a piece of Baltimore and it should have been preserved. There are a couple recipes for it on line, however, they do not recreate the pie I remember, bland imitations loaded down in food coloring. So a couple years ago I attempted my own version. I was hesitant to taste it since I had so many childhood memories wrapped up in this pie but it didn't let me down. —Summer of Eggplant

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Pie Crust - Adapted from the Bouchon Cookbook
  • 2 1/4 cups AP flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter (also know as 2 sticks or 16 tablespoons)
  • 1/4 cup ice water
  • 1/4 cup almond slivers, toasted and ground in food processor
  • Filling - Pastry Cream + Whipped Cream + Strawberry Topping
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla (divided - 2tbs. for the pastry cream and 1 tbs. for the whipped cream)
  • 1/4 cup AP flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 3 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half if necessary
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves
  • 1/4 cup toasted almond slivers
Directions
  1. Pie Crust - Adapted from the Bouchon Cookbook
  2. Make the dough a day ahead. Place 1 cup flour and salt in standing mixer with dough hook attachment, turn on low and add the butter a handful at a time, in about 4 batches, increase to medium speed and when butter is incorporated, stop machine, scrape down sides or dislodge dough from mixing arm, turn on low again and slowly add in remaining flour, followed by the water, mix until just incorporated. Remove and divide in to two, wrap one disk in plastic wrap and freeze for later use. Return the other half to the mixer and add in the ground almonds, turn on low until incorporated. Shape in to a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  3. Roll it out on floured surface to about 12” in diameter. Place in a pie pan, top with parchment or aluminum foil and place pie weights or dried beans on top. Bake at 350 in the center of the oven for 45 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.
  1. Filling - Pastry Cream + Whipped Cream + Strawberry Topping
  2. Make the Pastry Cream. This can also be done a day ahead. Scald the milk in a sauce pan, set aside. Meanwhile whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly adding the milk, whisking until incorporated. Return the mixture to the sauce pan and working over a medium heat continue to whisk. The mixture will begin to thicken, it may look lumpy, keep whisking. I found my mixture to be done when it had a pudding like consistency and appeared to ‘breathe’ when I stopped whisking it for a moment. Remove from heat. Add in 2 tbs. vanilla and butter and stir to incorporate. Cover the surface with buttered wax paper. Allow to cool to room temperature before putting in the fridge.
  3. Using a hand mixer make the whipped cream by combining the cream and 1 tbs. vanilla.
  4. Once the pastry cream and pie shell have cooled spread the pastry cream in to the bottom of the pie shell with a spatula. Top the pastry cream with the strawberries. Microwave the preserves for about 30 seconds. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the preserves on to the strawberries. Let cool in the fridge for a couple hours. When ready to serve, pipe the whipped cream around the outer edge of the pie and sprinkle with the almond slivers.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • creamtea
    creamtea
  • Midge
    Midge
  • Summer of Eggplant
    Summer of Eggplant
  • sandy
    sandy

9 Reviews

sandy June 2, 2024
I had a problem with the preserves when you heat them and brush on the strawberries When you cut the pie the strawberry preserves ran all down the side and it was almost like water. Other then that the pie was very good I used the frozen pie crust instead of making it because it didn't sound right to me
 
dunstac May 19, 2023
My father worked at Haussners for many years and this recipe is a dupliation of what Mrs Haussner gave me so I could make the pie at home! Rest in peace Frances Haussner and Dad!
 
jsteele3 April 17, 2022
There are a couple of errors in this recipe. First, it does not tell you how or when to use the flour listed in the ingredients list. It should be whisked into the egg/sugar mixture before adding the scalded milk. Second, the right quantity of vanilla is 3 teaspoons (2 for the pastry cream, 1 for the whipped cream) NOT 3 Tablespoons.
 
jph August 1, 2014
Hi again...one more question:
Listed under "Filling - Pastry Cream + Whipped Cream + Strawberry Topping" ingredients is "1/4 cup AP flour" but I don't see where it is used in the instructions...is it supposed to be used in the pastry cream?
Thank you for your help.
 
Summer O. August 1, 2014
Well I have really screwed this one up, thanks for the sharp eye. Once the eggs and sugar are combined then whisk in the flour.
 
jph July 31, 2014
Looks amazing...I'm searching for the perfect strawberry pie and want to try this soon...however, I have a question about one of the ingredients: Should this be teaspoons or tablespoons?

"3 teaspoons vanilla (divided - 2tbs. for the pastry cream and 1 tbs. for the whipped cream)"
 
Summer O. August 1, 2014
It's teaspoons - sorry about that.
 
creamtea July 21, 2014
We drove hours out of the way to get to Haussner's on our cross-country trip when I was little. They couldn't tear me away from the display case of exquisitely enameled dollhouse-sized furniture.
 
Midge July 21, 2014
I went to Haussner's growing up too but never got a slice of this pie. So glad you recreated it! Saving to make next strawberry season.