BROWNED BUTTER & SALTED HONEY PIE

A big storm was brewing up top and I had to look twice at the big plume of clouds loitering and looming in the far distance. I wasn't quiet sure if it was a big bright patch of light or a big fluffy ominous cloud. Then the wind seemed to change direction and pellets of rain began to splat onto our tin roof. The perfect weather to be channelling some Local Milk style and throw in some of my newly aquired workshop skills.

I had been eying off this pie recipe for a couple of weeks and today I made it happen. I have never made pie crust in my life. The sudden darkness and change in wind direction made it feel like something magical and powerful was about to happen and it certainly inspired me to make something different today. Before I started making the pie crust, I slid open the doors and stood by them as I began rubbing the cubes of butter into the flour. Then I felt a swoop. I looked to the right and there was a Kookaburra sitting on the table next to the spare cubes of butter. Cue the Benny Hill soundtrack for the next twenty or so minutes while I tried coaxing the Kookaburra back outside the open doors with a tea towel (I don't know what I was going to do with it should it have turned around and aimed it's huge beak at my face). I don't know what sign mother nature/the universe was trying to give me, perhaps it was telling me that it's time to get my hair in order, or maybe it was a swift reminder of practical advice to install  the flyscreens which Matty removed when we first moved in, all of those years ago. In the bathroom washing my hands, I looked in the mirror and the top knot bun sitting sideways on my head looked something like a rotund bush rat. Besides the Kookaburra this week we have had a menagerie of animals freuqent our home including the usual flurry of bush turkey's who seem to use our house as an actual thoroughfare, a mouse (eek, I seem to be the only one who seems to believe that this is a problem) and a couple of new tails who managed to grace our hallway while I was hanging out the washing to dry. After all of that commotion, the pie crust was rubbed, rolled and chillin' like a villain in  the fridge and the brown butter and honey filling was frothing away on the stovetop. During which I joined the rest of my family up in the backyard and after another comical attempt at rounding up our chickens to go back into their pen, I got my camera out and practiced doing some portrait shots of Matty looking pensive in front of the chicken coop. Yup, my ability to give direction needs a lot of practice...the photo looked like, 'oh hey, remember that time when you looked like a serial killer on death row'. Nailed it. On that note, below is the recipe for the pie, which I acquired from Kinfolk Volume 12. Hope you give it a go.

KINFOLKY BROWN BUTTER & SALTED HONEY PIE

Pie Crust:

1/2 cup of iced water

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temp and cubed

1 and a half tsp of sugar

1 1/4 cup of plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg beaten with a splash of water

To make the pie crust, sift the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the cubes of butter and rub together with your fingers until it's roughly combined and slowly add water one tablespoon at a time. Once the dough comes together, ball it up and place on a floured surface and roll out so that it fits the base and up the sides of your pie dish. Cover in cling wrap and place in the fridge for at least one hour.

Filling:

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup honey

1 cup sugar

2 tbs plain flour

3/4 tsp of salt

1 tbs lemon juice

5 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla essence/paste

1 cup of thickened cream

Himalayan Salt or flaky sea salt for topping

Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, bring it up to simmer and foam and will eventually calm down. Stir constantly  and watch it turn golden and then brown which takes about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat once it turns brown and stir in the honey until it melts and completely dissolves into the butter. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the salt, flour, sugar and then stir in the brown butter mixture, vanilla, lemon juice and whisk in one egg at a time until all combined. Then whisk in the thickened cream.

Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake on the center rack in the oven for 60 - 75 minutes, turning around halfway through the baking time. The pie is done when it is golden brown on top and it should look puffed and still jiggle in the middle quiet a bit. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours and serve with a sprinkling flaky sea salt.

Thank you for sharing Kinfolk!

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Images taken using Canon 5D Markiii//50mm 1.4

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