Perfect pudding relies on proper cooking. Adding a small amount of the warm liquid to the eggs (while whisking vigorously and constantly) gradually warms up the egg mixture, bringing it closer to the temperature of the rest of the warm liquid, a process called tempering. If the eggs are added directly to the warm milk mixture, they are more likely to scramble, resulting in a grainy, chunky pudding. For a fancier finish, I like to use a flat side of a basket-weave tip to pipe on the whip in concentric circles, working toward the center of the pie. But plenty of other techniques would fly here—think big fat rosettes or even random-sized dots all over! The filled pie can be refrigerated, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days, but it's best to add the peanut butter whip the day that you serve the pie. Manipulated properly, four simple ingredients—flour, fat, salt, and water—make a dough that's crisp and tender. The key takeaways: Keep everything cold; don't be afraid to leave the butter in large pieces; and don't overmix. And, come baking time, don't be afraid of the high temperature, which turns this dough into all it can be through the magic of moisture evaporation and steam! I prefer mixing my dough by hand, but it can be made in the food processor. Start by cutting the butter into 3/4-inch cubes instead of 1/2-inch. Toss the butter in the flour to coat before adding both to the food processor, then pulse in 3-second bursts until the pieces of butter are the desired size, depending on whether you want a flaky (walnut size) or mealy (pea size) crust. I find 10 to 15 pulses usually do the trick. Even when using the food processor, it's best to add the water by hand to prevent overmixing. The tightly wrapped disk(s) of dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Wrapped in plastic and then in aluminum foil, the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.