Amazing Walnut Pie a la Mode
Submitted by jeandemko
A double-crust caramel walnut pie: walnuts simmered into a reduced-cream caramel and sealed in a tender shortcrust, served a la mode with from-scratch vanilla bean ice cream. A restaurant-worthy dessert.
YIELD
32 servingsPREP
1 hrsCOOK
30 minREADY
3 hrsThis is a dessert to set aside an afternoon for, a showpiece walnut pie in the style of a Swiss Engadine nusstorte, served with vanilla bean ice cream churned from scratch. Both elements are built the proper way, and the payoff is a slice that tastes like it came from a fine restaurant kitchen.
The filling is its glory. Heavy cream and sugar are boiled down until reduced by half into a thick caramel, then chopped walnuts simmer in it until coated and toasty. Cooled, it gets sealed between two layers of a rich, tender shortcrust, the seam brushed with egg yolk and the top scored before baking.
A homemade vanilla bean ice cream, made from a custard of egg yolks, milk, and real scraped vanilla, finishes each slice as it melts into the warm, nutty caramel.
Pro Tips
- Chill the dough at least 2 hours, or overnight, before rolling; it firms the butter for a tender crust and makes the dough far easier to handle.
- Cool the walnut caramel completely before filling the crust, so it doesn’t melt the pastry or make it soggy.
- Reduce the cream and sugar by a full half for a thick caramel that sets rather than running out when sliced.
- Make the ice cream a day ahead so it has time to firm up in the freezer.
Variations
- Swap the walnuts for pecans, or add a splash of bourbon or rum to the caramel.
- Add a pinch of flaky salt to the filling for a salted-caramel walnut pie.
- Serve with caramel sauce or coffee ice cream instead of vanilla.
Ingredients
Directions
Vanilla Ice Cream:
Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise into 4 sections and place it in a saucepan with the milk. Brink the milk to a boil and remove from heat.
In a stainless bowl, whip the egg yolks and sugar until foamy. Strain the milk into the egg mixture. Place the bowl on a double-boiler and mix with a wooden spatula until the mixture thickens and adheres to the spatula. Remove the bowl from the double-boiler and add heavy cream.
Place the mixture in a refrigerator until cold. Pour the mixture into an ice cream freezer and churn for 30 minutes or until stiff.
Walnut Pie:
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cooled butter, and salt. Add flour 1 cup at a time and mix. Add 1 egg and mix well but do not overwork.
Divide the dough mixture into two portions ⅔ and ⅓ parts of the dough. Let the dough rest in a refrigerator for at least 2 hours, overnight if possible. Roll out the ⅔ portion of dough until it’s 13 inches in diameter. Place this layer in a buttered 10-inch pie plate. Leave any excess dough hanging over the edge of the plate. Place this dough in the refrigerator.
Roll out the ⅓ portion of dough until it’s 11 inches in diameter. Refrigerate on waxed paper.
Walnut Filling:
In a saucepan over medium heat, boil the heavy cream and sugar until reduced by one-half. Add the walnuts and cook for 5 minutes. Pour the cooked mixture into a bowl and refrigerate.
Assembly:
Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator and fill it with cooled walnut mixture. Take 1 beaten egg yolk and brush the pie dough around the lip of the plate. Cover the pie with the top dough, press around the edges, and remove any excess dough.
Score the dough with a fork in a crisscross pattern, then bake it in a 375℉ (190℃) oven for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold and serve topped with ice cream.
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