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Maple–Browned Butter Pie
This dessert is the creation of Briana Holt of Tandem Coffee + Bakery in Portland, Maine. The nutty flavor and flaky, yet sturdy texture of the whole-wheat pastry perfectly complement the browned butteriness and silkiness of the custard filling. We recommend using the darkest maple syrup you can find so the smoky maple notes hold their own amidst the butter, eggs and cream. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt just before serving balances the filling's sweetness and adds a pleasing crunch that contrasts the smoothness, but this flourish is purely optional. The pie can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two days; bring to room temperature before serving.
1
9-inch pie
Tip
Don’t skip or skimp on the pie weights when prebaking the crust; they're essential for preventing the dough from shrinking, slipping and bubbling. We highly recommend using metal or ceramic pie weights. Unlike dried beans and rice, two common pie-weight stand-ins, both metal and ceramic conduct heat well, which aids with browning, and their heft holds the dough in place as it bakes. Also, don't forget to lower the oven temperature to 325°F after placing the prebaked crust on a wire rack.
3 hours
45 minutes active, plus cooling
For the crust:
-
98
grams (¾ cup) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Directions
-
01To make the crust, in a food processor, combine both flours, the sugar and salt; process until combined, about 5 seconds. Scatter the butter over the flour mixture, then pulse until the pieces are the size of small peas, 10 to 14 pulses. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon ice water, then toss with a silicone spatula, making sure to scrape along the bottom of the bowl until the water has been absorbed. Repeat with the remaining ice water, adding it 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms pebbly clumps; you may not need all the water. Using your hands, press the clumps together firmly into a rough ball, then form the ball into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
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November 23, 2022
Maple Browned butter pie
A new must make for Thanksgiving! Easy to make. Don't plan on left overs!
November 23, 2023
Delicious!
Made this for Thanksgiving this year and this was such an upgrade from the typical pumpkin pie. My crust was a little tough to cut through with a fork - I think I may not have blind baked it quite long enough. Filling was 10/10- be sure to add the flaky salt to really make this a show stopper.
Hi Alison -
The most common cause is overcooking the eggs. If you didn't let the butter mixture cool long enough and whisked in the eggs it's possible the eggs got too hot and began to coagulate. The same can happen if you overbake the pie itself. As the eggs are heated, they begin to contract. If they get hot enough they will begin to separate into curds and give the filling that grainy texture.
Best,
The Milk Street Team
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Not sure where I went wrong but crust came out very tough. Could have under/over mixed or under/over cooked. Filling terrific.