Butterscotch Cream Pie With a Walnut Crust

~Leslie~'s Note:

Does anyone else adore Food and Drink Magazine? This recipe is right out of there, by Chef Jennifer MacKenzie. The crust can be baked a day ahead but the pie is best assembled just a few hours before serving and refrigerated. Garnish with the candied walnuts just before serving. Prep time includes chill time

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

Pastry

• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup butter, cubed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Garnish

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar or 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• sweet candied walnut halves

Directions:

1. Place walnuts and 2 tbsp of the flour in food processor. Process until walnuts are finely chopped. Add remaining flour, sugar and salt and combine. Pulse until blended. Add butter and pulse just until small crumbs form. Add egg and vanilla and process just until dough holds together. Remove from processor and shape into a flat disc. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or for up to 2 days.
2. Roll out pastry about 1/8 inch thick. Fit into an 11 inch tart pan with removable bottom or 9 inch pie plate; patch any cracks to seal. Trim and flute edges, as desired.
3. Chill pastry for 30 minutes. Re-roll any scraps and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter for garnish, if desired. Place on baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F
5. Prick pastry with a fork. Bake on bottom rack of oven for about 20 minutes or until pastry is golden. Cool completely. If using, bake pastry cutouts for 5 to 8 minutes or until golden. Set aside.
6. Heat 2 cups of the milk in heavy saucepan, stirring over medium heat just until steaming and bubbles form around edge. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, remaining milk and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in about one third of the hot milk, whisking constantly. Whisk back into saucepan. Stir over medium heat until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface. Cool slightly.
7. Pour filling into crust. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until set. Whip cream with sugar and pipe into cooled filling. Garnish with pastry cutouts and/or Sweet Candied Walnut halves.

Reviews

[LuuvBunny]

I am giving this 5 stars just for the crust itself.I used this crust recipe with another pie and was quite pleased with it.The only change I would make would be to reduce the sugar a little.I also had trouble rolling it out,it kept cracking apart,so I just made it into a disk and pressed it into the pie plate.The crust had great taste and was nice and flaky.

[Queen Dana]

Very good. I added a little bit of scotch to the the pudding, otherwise followed as directed. Made for ZWT6.

[Cynna]

Creamy, nutty, and just delicious. We really enjoyed this pie. Everything was perfect and I would change nothing. I'll bet this would do well at any party or gathering. The crust was nutty and rich, the filling was thick and delicious. The aroma filling the house as I baked the crust was out-of-this-world. Thanks for sharing a real winner. =D