Butterscotch Pie
It's fall!  Here is a delicious pie with a secret ingredient (scotch whiskey) that adds a depth and richness of flavor you won't believe.  Try it, you'll love it!

One 9-inch baked pie crust (crust recipe follows, or use your own).

Filling:
2 1/2 cups milk (I use 2% to cut down on the richness)
1 cup heavy cream
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue top)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp scotch whiskey
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Meringue top:
3 egg whites
pinch salt
2 Tbsp sugar

In a large saucepan, combine milk and cream and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Immediately turn off heat and set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Stir in brown sugar and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, to caramelize the mixture.  (You will smell a characteristic nutty-caramel flavor odor when the butter browns, signaling that the mixture is ready.)

Whisking constantly, gradually add the brown sugar mixture to the hot milk mixture.  If mixture is not smooth, blend for 20 seconds with a hand mixer or pour through a fine sieve.

Put the egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Whisk in about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture.  Whisk in cornstarch and salt until dissolved.  Whisk the cornstarch mixture back into the hot milk mixture in the saucepan.  Add the scotch and whisk in.

Whisking constantly, cook over medium-high heat until thick and just boiling.  When the mixture thickens, the whisk will leave trail marks on the bottom of the pot and the mixture will have a few large bubbles boiling up to the top.

Turn off the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.  Pour into the pre-baked pie shell and cover with meringue.  Then chill at least two hours or overnight.

Meringue:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Whip whites and salt to soft peaks, then add sugar and whip until sugar is dissolved and whites are glossy.  Spread meringue on top of the slightly cooled pie and bake for five minutes or until lightly browned.  Chill as above.

Crust (made in a food processor):

Makes enough for bottom and top

2 cups flour
1 cup butter, straight from the refrigerator and quickly cut into chunks
6 Tbsp ice water

Put flour into food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Add butter and pulse a little at a time until mixture is crumbly and about the size of peas.  Don't over mix.  Add water one Tbsp at a time, pulsing briefly with each addition.  As soon as the mixture forms a ball, stop (you may need less than 6 Tbsp water).

Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate 30 minutes.  Divide dough in half and roll half to fit a 9-inch pie pan.  Place in pan.  Bake at 425 degrees until golden brown.  Roll out the other half, put in pan, wrap in freezer paper or freezer bag and freeze unbaked for later.

October 2008