The sugar and the flour or cornstarch in the custard will caramelize in the oven, and the result is a pie with a top that's a delicious golden caramel color and slightly crunchy, like a giant crme brle. Underneath the crackly top is a custard that tasteslike vanilla custard with a whisper of citrusy brightness.The buttermilk adds a tangy, unique flavor that balances the sweetness of the custard some recipes call for 2 to 3 cups of sugar. A flaky, buttery, slightly salty pie crust also works to balance the sweetness of a buttermilk pie.

For chocolate lovers, you can add cocoa powder to the custard, for a slightly sweet, deeply rich version of buttermilk chess pie that's almost like eating a brownie. The contrast between the richness of the chocolate and the lightness of the buttermilk is an ideal match. Both the lemon and chocolate versions wouldn't go amiss on a dessert table for the holidays. Luckily, you don't have to serve it warm. San Francisco baker Mary Denham of Blooms End likes chess pie room temperature or even chilled. For her chocolate chess pie, she amplifies the nuttiness of the chocolate with a whole wheat crust and tosses in some cacao nibs for crunch plus another dimension of cocoa flavor.

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What Is A Buttermilk Chess Pie, And What Does It Taste Like? - Daily Meal