maple buttermilk pie

It's a ridiculously beautiful January day. I had my breakfast on the back porch overlooking the lake. Only two days ago it was completely frozen over and I tried ice skating for the first time in years. Now it's melted and the grass is showing.

Part of my reasoning for moving to Michigan was to eventually open a pie shop with my fiancé. At this point, we need to completely rehab the space. He loves woodworking and building things, so that's his job. I have the hard job, practicing making pies so that we have an good-sized repertoire when we open.

This weekend I made a Maple Buttermilk Pie. I was expecting a strong maple flavor, but the results were surprisingly fruity due to the lemon zest. I think I would call the pie a Lemon Buttermilk, so as not to mislead people. Whatever you call it, it was tasty.

maple buttermilk pie

from 101 Cookbooks

Flaky Rye Pie Dough:
1/3 cup rye flour
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea slat
1/2 cup salted butter
1/8 cup cold water

Maple Buttermilk Filling:
Zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

For the crust, mix flours and sea salt in a food processor. Cut butter into 1-inch cubes. Add butter to flour mixture and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until a ball forms, taking care not to overmix the dough. Turn the dough on a flour dusted cutting board and form into a 1-inch thick, flat disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a half hour up to three days.

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Roll out your pie crust on a flour dusted surface, flipping once or twice. Line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough. Cut around the edge of the dough with scissors, leaving a 1-inch rim of dough extending past the edges of the pan. Tuck the overhang under itself and flute using your fingers. Here's a nice reference video on fluting. Prick the crust a few times with a fork. Refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes.

For the filling, combine lemon zest, brown sugar, egg yolks, and flour in a mixing bowl. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Slowly add the maple syrup, stirring the whole time. Then add the buttermilk, vanilla, and salt.

Remove the pie crust from he refrigerator and line with parchment paper. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and parchement paper and continue to bake for 10 more minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 325°F. Allow the crust to cool completely. Fill with 2/3 of the filling. Move into the oven and add the remaining filling. Bake for about an hour until the filling is set. Allow the pie to cool completely. This is something you could make a day or two ahead of time and refrigerate, as it tastes great cold.