Pi plate, test 2

Today I tested the second π plate, to make sure the survival of the first one wasn't a fluke.

First, I washed the π plate, because it had been sitting out in the dining room for two weeks holding sea monsters (see postscript) and collecting dust, because we're not as good at putting things away when pandemics preclude having company for dinner. Washing confirmed that this plate, like the other one, had not vitrified--i.e. the clay is still porous. The glazed top didn't seem to soak up any water, but the unglazed bottom did. I wiped the plate dry and let it sit on the counter for a few hours, but I assume it remained a little damp. 

I prepared a tart crust, put it in the plate, and stuck the plate in the freezer for an hour. 

While it was chilling, I prepared a really fine vanilla custard with six--count 'em, six--egg yolks.

I removed the chilled crust/plate from the freezer, put a piece of parchment paper on top of it, filled it with dry black beans (cuz who needs pie weights?), and put it back in the freezer while the oven preheated to 375^oF. Then I put the cold pie plate straight into the oven. 

Twenty minutes later, I took it out and lifted out the beans. That's how I learned that chilled dry black beans are excellent insulators. The bottom of the crust hadn't cooked thoroughly, so back into the oven it went, minus beans, for another 10 minutes. Ta da:

After letting the crust cool, I filled it with custard and topped it with fresh sliced strawberries.

The final step involved eating pie with E and S. The crust was delectably crisp.

Three non-breakages don't guarantee these plates won't crack, but I'm pretty comfortable describing them as "oven safe."

Postscript: There be monsters here.