Divine Caramel and Three Nut Pie

A recipe to follow my review of Pies so that I’m not the only one drooling over this book. I love sexy food pics. Don’t they just make you unreasonably desirous of food. Well unreasonable for 10:30 in the morning. But I suppose there is nothing reasonable about decadence. Just pure delight. 

As this particular pie requires the recipe for Sweet Pastry Dough, I’ll be sure to post that next. 

I’m curious to try caramelizing brown sugar. I have always very lazily just used brown sugar melted in butter and topped up with cream to make caramel sauce. Anyway, I’ll try it both ways and see what I can’t learn about working with sugar. My taste testers will let you know which one wins. 

Divine Caramel and Three-Nut Pie

Servings: 8 to 10

Preparation: 30 min

Cooking time: 50 min

Utensil: 9″ (23 cm) round, fluted tart pan with a removable bottom

This pie is a sensational mouthful with all its contrasting textures. While the creamy caramel softly caresses the palate, nuts crack lightly under teeth to liberate flavours. The pleasure that follows will take you to seventh heaven!

INGREDIENTS

SWEET PASTRY DOUGH

• Sweet pastry (recipe on page 13)

FILLING

• 1 cup (115 g) pecans
• 1 cup (105 g) walnuts
• 1 cup (135 g) hazelnuts
• 1 1/3 cup (280 g) cane sugar
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) water
• 2/3 cup (165 ml) 35% cream
• 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter

PREPARATION

SWEET PASTRY DOUGH

• Preheat the oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C).
• Flour the work surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin and line the pie plate. Or, place the ball of dough in the centre of the pie plate and then spread it out evenly with your fingers from the centre to the edges.
• Place a piece of parchment paper on the dough and place 2 cups (400 g) of dried peas on top of it (this step helps to keep the dough in place while baking).
• On the centre rack, bake the crust through for 30 minutes.
• Remove the peas and the parchment paper on the crust and continue to bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is cooked through or golden.
• Remove it from the oven and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

FILLING

• Spread out the nuts on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven at 325⁰F (160⁰C) for 15 minutes.
• In a small pot, heat the cream.
• In another pot, on medium heat, heat the sugar and water until it caramelizes (see information about caramel on page 160).
• Take the pot off the heat, gradually pour the hot cream into it and mix.
• Add the butter, and mix.
• Mix the nuts into the caramel. Pour into the pie crust.
• Cool and serve with custard or caramel sauce (recipes on pages 156).

DOMINIQUE’S ADVICE

The cream must be hot before pouring it into the hot caramel. If the cream is cold or warm, there is a risk of splatter that could cause burns. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry.