Momofuku Crack Pie

Midway through my first slice, I said, "It's nice, but is it really all it's cracked up to be?" Then, when I realised what I'd actually said, "oh, shi-"

"Are you gonna put that on your blog?" Robert said.

So.

I made this on request for Michelle, who saw the recipe on Almost Bourdain. The 'crack pie' - so-called because it's just as addictive - by NYC's Momofuku Milk Bar is apparently a sensation, and according to their website sells for US $44 per pie or US $5.25 per slice. Which sounds HUGE until you think about it, because that's really just a little more than the price of a nice cake at David Jones Food Hall, isn't it?

It was fun to make, and fun to eat, and even if it wasn't quite crack we still finished it all off in one sitting. But since thinking about the amount of butter that went into it is making me feel a bit ill (it could totally be reduced, I think), I am never going to make it again. <-- I reserve the right to renege this if you want to shell out $44.

 

Momofuku Milk Bar's Crack Pie

Servings: Makes 2 pies (6 to 8 servings each)


COOKIE FOR CRUST

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (3 ounces) flour
Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick = 113 g) softened butter
1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) sugar
1 egg
Scant 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) rolled oats


Heat the oven to 375 F (190 C) degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy.

Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.

With the mixer running, beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully combined. Stir in the oats until incorporated.

Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.

Though called a cookie, the texture of mine was more like a muffin.


CRUST

Crumbled cookie for crust
1/4 cup (1/2 stick = 56 g) butter
1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended (a little of the mixture clumped between your fingers should hold together).

Or, if you're like me, combine by hand. Use your fingertips rather than palms to avoid melting the butter too much.

Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. Like Almost Bourdain, I used one round tart pan and one rectangular tart pan.

Press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins.

Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.


FILLING

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar
3/4 cup plus a scant 3 tablespoons (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon (3/4 ounce) milk powder*
1 cup (2 sticks = 226g) butter, melted
3/4 cup plus a scant 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 egg yolks
2 prepared crusts
Powdered sugar, garnish


* Milk powder, you may or may not be surprised to find, is not sold in your local Coles in packets of less than 1kg. Since I didn't anticipate needing to use milk powder again in the near future, I skipped this ingredient. Reasoning that it was included for texture more than flavour, I subbed in a tablespoon of corn starch. Did I do wrong? Is this why I found the pie merely nice, instead of crack-like in addictive quality? You tell me.


Heat the oven to 350 F (176 C).

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and milk powder. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla.

Gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air.

Divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells. My filling had a texture like pureed fruit and was very easy to spread into the shells with a spatula.

Bake the pies, one at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 F (162 C) and bake until the filling is slightly jiggly and golden brown (similar to a pecan pie), about 10 minutes.

Remove the pies and cool on a rack.

Refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled. The pies are meant to be served cold, and the filling will be gooey. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.


From Almost Bourdain