Rhubarb Custard Pie - Cheesecake Style

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 2

Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a 2 quart saucepan until the cornstarch is evenly distributed throughout the sugar. Add the rhubarb and orange juice and toss gently until everything is evenly combined and there are no dry pockets of the sugar mixture. Place the pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and forms a syrup. Continue cooking and stirring until it reaches boiling and becomes quite thick. Cover the pan and set aside.

Step 3

Toss together all of the ingredients for the crumb crust. Press evenly across the bottom and up the sides of a standard pie plate or a removable bottom 9-inch tart pan. Set the pie plate or tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes.

Step 4

While the crumb crust bakes, add the cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. If you do not have a food processor, you can use a blender, stand mixer, or mixing bowl with a hand mixer to blend the ingredients together.

Step 5

Whisk or use a fork to blend together the yogurt and sugar. Set aside.

Step 6

Fish the vanilla bean halves from the rhubarb filling. Gently spread the rhubarb filling over the bottom of the crumb crust. Pour the cheesecake filling over the rhubarb filling and carefully transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheesecake layer appears to be set in the center. Take the pie from the oven and gently spread the yogurt filling evenly over the top. Return the pie to the oven and bake 10 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the oven, cool for 30 minutes on a cooling rack, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours, or until the pie is cold all the way through. This pie is wonderful made in advance, holding up well for 3 days.