Crack Pie

I’ve been away. I know. I’ve missed the blog, a lot.

I have a good reason, I promise. Let’s just say I left a job that I loved, took a month off in between and traveled and then began my new job, which I also love very much. Major career trajectory shift – its been fun but change always takes a bit of adjustment.

Anyway, I’m back to the blog and I thought that I would come out of the gate with a winner. Crack Pie! I’ve been wanting to make this for sometime, like probably 2 years. I got this recipe and have kept it filed away under ‘Make this Now’.

I worked in Downtown LA for several years and I would always go to this places called The Sandwich Shop for lunch (their Vegetarian Sandwich is to die for) and while we would wait for our sandwiches I would peruse the cookbooks that were on the shelf – one of them was the Momofuku cookbook. So, in the October 2010 when Bon Appetit did a story on Momofuku’s Milkbar I grabbed the recipes and have kept them ever since.

At first glance the recipe seems kinda daunting (and I think that is why it took me 2 years) because its like 2 steps but please don’t let that deter you, it’s so worth it!

Blend sugars and butter together until smooth. You’ll also add in eggs, vanilla and so on.

You’ll slowly mix in flour and oats and spread out on a sheet of parchment paper. its like a giant cookie. Its pretty fun.

The next fun part is breaking it apart – after its out of the oven and cooled a bit of course. Mix the butter and sugar with the cookie crumbles until its combined.

Press into your pie dish – this part requires a bit of patience.

I thought I had a glass pie dish but alas I did not (its on my Christmas list for Santa), I remembered then that I wanted a pretty one but I don’t think they come pretty. What self described foodie/cook/baker doesn’t have a pie dish? Embarrassing.

Anyway, I used this German tart pan thing that I picked up a few months ago. I worked okay but I think I really needed a pie dish. Glass cooks differently that metal. Lesson learned.

Nice.

It takes some effort to get it out of the pan but its worth it.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

Its oaty, so much so that my sister said ‘It almost tastes healthy!’. Its sweet but not sickly sweet, perfectly sweet. Enjoy!!

Much love!
jess

PRINTRECIPE

Crack Pie

Oat Cookie Crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
5 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt

Filling
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
6 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Oat Cookie Crust
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper; coat with nonstick spray. Combine 6 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes.

Add egg; beat until pale and fluffy. Add oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Turn oat mixture out onto prepared baking pan; press out evenly to edges of pan. Bake until light golden on top, 17 to 18 minutes. Transfer baking pan to rack and cool cookie completely.

Using hands, crumble oat cookie into large bowl; add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar. Rub in with fingertips until mixture is moist enough to stick together. Transfer cookie crust mixture to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Using fingers, press mixture evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie dish. Place pie dish with crust on rimmed baking sheet.

Filling
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk both sugars, milk powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and whisk until blended. Add cream, then egg yolks and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie 30 minutes (filling may begin to bubble).

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to bake pie until filling is brown in spots and set around edges but center still moves slightly when pie dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes longer. Cool pie 2 hours in pie dish on rack. Chill uncovered overnight. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

Sift powdered sugar lightly over top of pie. Cut pie into wedges and serve cold.

ENDPRINTRECIPE

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