01 May Butterscotch Pie with Vanilla Shortbread Cookie Crust & Honeyed Pistachios
Butterscotch Pie with Vanilla Shortbread Cookie Crust & Honeyed Pistachios.
Quite the mouthful, I know.
But the whipped cream is also honeyed and I left that part out so I figured that counted for something.
I just got back from an extended Weekend in Washington D.C. where I ran my fourth (!!) half marathon. It was also my first time to visit so I stayed a few extra days to do all sorts of touristy things – blog post all about it coming soon.
But for now, let’s talk about pie.
I can take or leave a fruit pie. They just don’t do much for me – I’d rather have a crisp or cobbler.
But a pudding or custard-based pie? Let me at it! Coconut Meringue, Key Lime, Butterscotch….we’re all close, personal friends.
As I was researching Butterscotch Pie recipes, most of the recipes that I came across were titled ‘Nana’s’, ‘Dutch-Style’ or ‘Old-Fashioned’. All surefire signs that Butterscotch Pie is a classic – the kind of pie that you find handwritten on a greasy, crumb-covered recipe card in the back of your Grandma’s cookbook.
And in my experience, those recipes are the best kind.
So I figured with Mother’s Day just around the corner, what better recipe to share than one that has been passed down through generations of mothers?
And while this isn’t a personal family recipe, it’s just the kind of pie I can imagine my Werther’s-candy-loving grandma baking. In fact, I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if she made her own version a time or two. (This is a half-test to see if my mom actually reads my blog because obviously, she would know the answer.)
The crust on this pie is an simple spin on the traditional shortbread crust. Instead of going through the trouble of making a shortbread dough from scratch, I crushed Walkers Vanilla Shortbread Cookies in my food processor, mixed the crumbs with melted butter and then baked until golden brown. The result is a tender, nutty crust that serves as a vehicle for creamy, rich butterscotch filling – without all the fuss.
More flavor, less fuss. We like that!
This recipe produces a super creamy, not-too-sweet butterscotch pudding with a deep caramel taste from the brown sugar. The cornstarch and egg yolks help it to set up beautifully, so that it doesn’t fall apart upon slicing. But please, make sure you give it time to chill in the refrigerator. If you slice too early, you’ll have a runny mess.
And don’t skip the pistachios! They’re crunchy and sweet and salty and add the extra oomph that takes this over the top!
Since Walkers Shortbread and I want you to treat your moms, you can get 20% off your entire purchase at www.us.walkersshortbread.com using coupon code BLMOM2014. So hop on over and getcha’ some – offer ends May 3rd!
XO, Katie
Ingredients
- 2 cups crushed Walkers Vanilla Shortbread cookies (about 2 boxes)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp honey (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven until 350F.
- Melt butter in the microwave and set aside to cool a little. Add cookies to your food processor and pulse until crumbs form. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your food processor.
- In a medium bowl, combine crumbs with melted butter and mix until well combined.
- Press firmly into the bottom and sides of a pie dish using your hands or a spatula.
- Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, milk, cream & cornstarch over medium heat. Stir continuously until mixture starts to thicken and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- Temper the egg yolks by ladling a small amount of the warm cream mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. Add a little more warm custard and mix again. This will increase the temperature of the eggs so that they don't scramble when you add them to the custard. Add the egg mixture into the custard, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk over heat until the mixture thickens. You will know it's ready when it's a thick custard consistency and your whisk leaves a trail.
- Pour the mixture into your pie crust and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
- Let cool for 30 minutes at room temp then transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Serve chilled with whipped cream & honeyed pistachios.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl combine pistachios, honey, brown sugar and salt. Mix until the pistachios are well coated and then spread into an even layer on cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, stirring after 5-6. Let the nuts cool and dry completely before separating.
- Place the bowl of your stand mixer (or your mixing bowl) in the freezer for 30 minutes - you want it to be very cold!
- Pour chilled whipped cream into chilled bowl and beat on medium-high with whisk attachment (or hand mixer) until cream starts to thicken.
- Add in the honey and vanilla. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form, scraping down the bowl if needed.
dina
Posted at 09:52h, 02 Mayit looks wonderful!
dina recently posted…Weekend Whets 5/2
Nora
Posted at 13:11h, 12 JulyMy egg mixture wouldn’t thicken into a custard no matter how long whisked it just turned frothy on top but remained liquid. Any idea what I did wrong?
KWahlman
Posted at 13:25h, 13 JulyHi Nora – so sorry to hear that! Did you whisk it over heat? The only reason I can think of would be is that perhaps the mixture didn’t get hot enough to cook the eggs and thicken.
Nora
Posted at 15:36h, 15 JulyThanks! I went back and whisked it over a higher heat for a longer period of time, and it did come together. After I did that, the pie turned out great!
KWahlman
Posted at 10:40h, 16 JulySo glad it set up!!
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