Sugar Pie (Québec Tarte au Sucre avec Sirop d’érable)

With a flaky crust and gooey center, this classic French Canadian Maple Sugar Pie is utterly irresistible. Similar to its salted honey and chess pie cousins, the filling is made with brown sugar and a splash of maple syrup for a deeply flavourful treat. A bit of flakey sea salt and confectioners' sugar compliment the myriad of soft, crisp and flaky textures.

Similar to chess pie of the South, Sugar Pie has western European roots and is celebrated in Quebec and French Canadian communities across Canada. Also known as Tart au Sucre, the indulgent pie has a gooey, deeply caramelized sugar filling primarily made with brown sugar and/or maple syrup, eggs and cream that is encased in a flaky crust.

Where chess pie is made with granulated white sugar, Sugar Pie is made with brown sugar. Imagine a pecan pie, minus the pecans or even its English Canadian butter tart cousins - but with maple and caramel notes. Not all sugar pies contain maple syrup, but as those with only brown sugar in the filling bake, they taste heavily of maple. To celebrate our love for Canada, this recipe does contain a splash of maple that makes the filling sticky, sweet, and seriously addictive.

To offset all of the sweet, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt is the perfect touch. The end result is similar to the famed Salty Honey Pie from Four and Twenty Blackbirds, but with caramelized maple flavours instead of floral honey.

All Butter Pie Crust:
⅓ cup water, ice cold
1⅓ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1½ tsp. granulated sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ cup butter, very cold and diced

Filling:
1½ cups dark brown sugar
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ tsp. kosher salt

Garnish:
flaky sea salt
confectioners' sugar

Make the Pie Crust:
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or by hand, rubbing the pieces of butter between your thumb, index, and middle fingers. Once the pieces are no longer lager than about a peanut, begin to flatten the pieces of butter in sheets between your palms. Be careful not to over-work the butter or let it get too warm.

Working with only a couple Tbsp. at a time, add in about 3-4 Tbsp. of the water. Stir together using a wooden spoon or even just a clean hand in the bowl. The dough should appear fairly shaggy and not sticky. If it is too dry, sprinkle on a bit more water as you combine the ingredients. Once you can squeeze a few pieces together and they hold, the dough is done being mixed and hydrated. Do not over-mix or add too much water.

Divide the dough into half and shape each piece into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, or overnight (preferably).

Roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured surface until about ¼" thick. Fit the pie dough into a 9" pie pan. Trim the edges and crimp as desired. Place the pie dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Top the pie dough with a piece of foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake the pie shell for about 15 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven. Carefully remove the pie weights and continue to bake for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the bottom of the pie crust is dry to the touch. Place the pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

Reduce the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Make the Filling:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, egg yolks and egg. Add the flour and cornstarch and stir until smooth.

Heat the cream and butter together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted. Temper the warmed cream into the egg mixture. Whisking constantly, pour a little bit of cream in at a time. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Using a mesh sieve, strain the mixture into the partially baked pie shell.

Move the rimmed baking sheet (with the filled pie on top) into the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. When done, the sides should be set but the center of the pie should slightly jiggle when you wiggle the pan).

Cool to room temperature for an hour before refrigerating until serving. It is okay if the filling cracks slightly as it cools. Top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a shower of confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Cook's Notes:

• The pie filling will puff up in the oven. Make sure to use the appropriate-sized pan. For insurance, bake the pie on a rimmed baking sheet just in case the filling spills over during baking.
• Strain the filling mixture before baking to remove any partially cooked eggs after tempering.
• Be careful not to overbake the pie. The center will set as the pie cools.
• Cool to room temperature for an hour before refrigerating until serving.
• Great served with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.