Nici Wickes: Butterscotch Pie

There is never a time when a slice of butterscotch pie is not a good idea. This is simple and divine, and you will not regret making your own pastry for this pie – it’s super easy and failsafe. 

Serves 4-6 

 

Ingredients 

CRUST 

100g (about 1/2 cup) plain flour 

1 tsp sugar 

Pinch salt 

75g cold butter, cut into chunks 

40mls very cold water 

FILLING 

75g cold unsalted butter 

225g brown sugar (about one cup loosely packed + 1 tablespoon) 

¼ tsp flaky sea salt, plus more to taste 

100mls cream 

1 large tablespoon crème fraiche 

2 tsps. vanilla extract 

3 large eggs 

1 tbsp plain flour 

Whipped cream to serve 

 

Method 

Grease a shallow, 18cm pie dish. 

To make the pastry, blitz all the ingredients except the cold water in a food processor until it looks like breadcrumbs. Drizzle in enough of the cold water to form a damp crumb that, when pinched, clumps together. Turn out onto a floured bench and bring it together with a quick, light knead. Roll out and press pastry into the greased tin. Freeze for 15 minutes. 

Prick frozen pastry all over with a fork. Press a lightly oiled piece of foil into the dish and up the sides, covering the pastry – this saves blind baking with weights. Press tightly to enclose the pastry. Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully remove foil. 

While pastry is par-baking, make the filling. In a saucepan melt the butter over a medium heat. Add sugar and salt and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat and whisk in cream, crème fraiche and vanilla. Careful as it will bubble up. Cool for 15 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then the flour, until smooth. 

Once crust is parbaked, pour in the filling. Bake for 10 minutes at 200 C and then reduce heat to 160 C and bake for a further 25-30 minutes. It is cooked when there’s a slight jiggle in the centre when moved. Let cool completely and serve with softly whipped cream. 

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