Peppermint Slice ‘n Bakes: Holiday Cookie Share w/ girlichef & McCormick

Rating: 5
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie
A walnut and honey custard filling is baked over a flaky crust in this grizzly bear pie.

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1 + 1/2 cups (6 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon buttermilk powder, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
• 4 to 5 tablespoons bottled ice water
• Filling:
• 1 + 3/4 cups walnut halves and pieces
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup honey
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 large egg plus 1 yolk
• a pinch of coarse sea salt

Instructions

1. Sift together the flour, buttermilk and salt into a medium bowl. Cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Stir in 4–5 tablespoons of ice water until dough just holds together. Pat into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
3. Make the honey filling in a heavy-bottomed saucepan - combine sugar, honey, and salt and stir until blended. Add the butter and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until the butter has melted and the mixture comes just to a boil.
4. Carefully pour into a large mixing bowl (not a glass one). Whisk in vanilla then allow to cool about 20 minutes or to room temperature/lukewarm.
5. Meanwhile, roll out the crust on a lightly floured surface to about 11 inches in diameter. Place in a 9-inch pie pan and flute the edges, trimming off excess (save the scraps).
6. Scatter the walnuts over the crust. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Set a baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any drips.
7. Once the honey mixture is cooled whisk in the cream then the egg and yolk until well combined. Pour over top of the walnuts not quite to the top because the honey will bubble and rise a little. If you have extra honey use it to bake a mini pie with your crust scraps or just discard.
8. Bake the pie for 40- 45 minutes or until filling is set but still jiggles slightly and the crust is a deep golden brown. The pie will continue to set as it cools. Sprinkle the cooled pie with Maldon or other flaked sea salt, if desired.