PIES & TARTS

CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie

Recipe by Jesse Szewczyk

Chess pie is delicious, but it’s not always the prettiest—so dust the top of this baby in confectioners’ sugar, and call it a day. Chess pie will form a crunchy top while it bakes. This is a sign of a good chess pie and to be expected, but it can also make the surface crack and sink. If you want your pie to have a flatter top, bake it in a water bath, and let cool in the warm oven before removing it.

Pie Dough (recipe follows)

½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cubed
4 ounces (115 grams) Caramelized White Chocolate (recipe follows), coarsely chopped
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
4 large eggs (200 grams)
2 tablespoons (18 grams) yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon (7 grams) confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll Pie Dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, pressing into bottom and up sides. Trim excess dough to ½ inch beyond edge of pan. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes.

3. Top dough with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges of pan. Add pie weights.

4. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (170°C).

5. In the top of a double boiler, combine butter and Caramelized White Chocolate. Cook over simmering water, stirring frequently, until melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add granulated sugar, eggs, cornmeal, vanilla, and salt, whisking until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.

6. Bake until center is set and no longer jiggly, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 2 hours. To make a stripe pattern, lay 1-inch strips of parchment paper over pie. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, and carefully remove parchment. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

PIE DOUGH

Makes 1 (9-inch) crust

1½ cups (188 grams)1 teaspoon (4 grams) granulated sugar½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cubed4 to 5 tablespoons (60 to 75 grams) cold water