We are always trying to replicate dishes from our favorite restaurants, so when Brian found the recipe to Buttermilk Channel's Pecan Pie Sundae we knew we hit the jackpot! While it is Pi Day, the warm spring air we've been enjoying lately also has us in the mood for summery ice cream desserts. This is the perfect blend. The pie is delicious on its own for a holiday dessert, or as a special sundae treat.
Buttermilk Channel is located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn and we often frequented the spot for their delicious Chicken and Waffles - but that's a whole different story. There are many different kinds of pies, but pecan has to be my new favorite thanks to this place. We happened to stop in on a Monday when they offer a $25 three-course meal special (all you locals should check it out), the third course being our first experience with "the most hedonistic pie known to man, atomized and swirled into a childhood nostalgia trip."
While trying to come up with some fun desserts for the menu, owner Doug Crowell was raving about his family's pecan pie recipe which they always ate on Thanksgiving. Just a slice of pecan pie wouldn't exactly be "fun," so Head Chef Ryan Angulo suggested, "Why don’t we make your pecan pie, crush it up, and stick it in a sundae?" They did, and their Pecan Pie Sundae is now their most popular dessert. Pecan pie layered with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream in a sundae glass, topped with whipped cream, and drizzled with chocolate fudge: there is little else in this world quite so decadent.
So turn on some tunes and let's start with the above totally drool-worthy pie. If you want to cut the time this took to bake in half, you can use store bought crust...but making homemade crust wasn't that hard using my mom's new food processor (which I'm holding hostage). If you don't have one, to the freezer section you go. But for those of you that do have one and want to make homemade pie dough, listen up.
Place 1½ cups of flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Add 3 or 4 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse. 3 tablespoons was my magic number, so I'd recommend stopping after 3 and pinching a small amount of the mixture between your fingers; you need to add just enough water for the dough to hold. You'll know if it feels right.
Carefully pick the dough up and place it in a 9-inch glass, metal, or ceramic pie plate. I got these pretty ceramic ones for Christmas and was excited to use it.
Gently press the dough against the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Trim the dough edge if necessary, but you might not need to. I trimmed mine, but found that later when I poured in the filling, it would have been nice if the dough was pushed a little bit higher along the edge of the plate, for a thicker crust. Ah, well.
Once it's in, freeze the pie shell for 30 minutes.
To make the filling, combine 1½ cups of sugar and 4 tablespoons (½ stick) of melted, unsalted butter in the bowl of a standing mixer or a large bowl for which you could use a hand mixer. Add three eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next. Add ¾ cup of light corn syrup (I know...but you're making pecan pie, so you have to get over it), 2 tablespoons molasses, and 1 tablespoon bourbon, if using, and mix to combine.
Fold in the 1⅔ cup chopped pecans. As for the pecans, I purchased pecan pieces and a smaller bag of chopped pecans, because I like the idea of different sized nuts. I also had some full sized candied pecans that I topped the pie with right before going in the oven.
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until the filling no longer looks liquid and it jiggles just slightly. Check the pie often after 50 minutes; if the crust is getting too brown, cover it with foil. Mine baked for a good 70 minutes and was a fairly gooey pie once all was said and done, which I think is perfect.
Allow the pie to cool completely. And take some cool pictures of it with all this fabulous daylight we have now.
And staring your beautiful masterpiece in the face through a camera lens, you'll really want to eat it, but I urge you to resist the urge until the sundaes are assembled (though, of course, this pecan pie is delicious on its own). Using an ice cream scoop, scoop some pie (including the crust) into the bottom of a tulip sundae glass or a mug. Top with 1 scoop of ice cream, followed by another scoop of pie, then the ice cream and pie again. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream and some drizzled chocolate fudge. I would literally eat this off the floor.
That's what I'm talking about!
Now invite your friends over to help eat it! The only time I will make desserts is when we know people are coming over who can help us finish it off. Luckily two of our best friends got engaged the night before we made this, so this was a fun, congratulatory treat for them :o)
If you want to celebrate Pi Day but aren't in the mood for dessert, check out Fresh Market for their tasty Chicken Pot Pies or swing by your favorite pizza joint. Speaking of which, come back when March Madness begins for our RVA vs. NYC Pizza Bracket!
I wish Pi Day, like the number, went on forever. When can we at least start talking about making March National Pie Month?
Pecan Pie Sundaes
Pie Crust
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and kept refrigerated until needed
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Filling
- 1½ cups sugar
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
- 1⅔ cups chopped pecans
1. To make the pie crust, place the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Add 3 or 4 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse. Pinch a small amount of the mixture between your fingers; you need to add just enough water for the dough to hold. Turn the mixture out onto a clean surface and shape into a disk, handling as little as possible. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
2. To make the filling, combine the sugar and melted butter in the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next. Add the corn syrup, molasses, and bourbon, if using, and mix to combine. Fold in the chopped pecans. Set aside.
3. On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12-inch round. Place in a 9-inch glass or metal pie plate. Gently press the dough against the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Trim the dough edge. Freeze the pie shell for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line the pie shell with parchment paper and fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake for 6 minutes, or until the shell begins to set. Remove the parchment and weights and bake for 3 minutes more. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and set the pie shell aside to cool.
5. Pour the pecan filling into the shell. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until the filling no longer looks liquid and it jiggles just slightly. Check the pie often after 50 minutes; if the crust is getting too brown, cover it with foil. Allow the pie to cool completely.
6. To assemble the sundaes, use a 2-ounce ice cream scoop and scoop some pie (including the crust) into the bottom of each of 6 tulip sundae glasses. Top with 1 scoop of ice cream, followed by another scoop of pie, then the ice cream and pie again. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream and drizzled chocolate fudge.
This looks so good and looks like something Paula Deen would whip up :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ash!
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