Crack Pie, Yuummmy!

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For dessert junkies only

With a name like Crack Pie, it must be good

By Rene Lynch, Mcclatchy-Tribune News -- April 15, 2010

This is the story of (and the recipe for) a pie has taken New York City by storm, partly because of the audacious name, partly because of the jaw-dropping price tag -- $44 a pie; yes, $44 a pie -- and partly because anyone who has tried it, including myself, CNN bigwig Anderson Cooper and the people who are buying the 60 to 90 Crack Pies sold each day or two can't stop raving about it.

Sold at Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar in Manhattan, the Crack Pie has generated so much out-of-town demand that the bakery just started shipping the dessert by FedEx. They've even sought trademark protection for the name.

Crack Pie is a twist on Chess Pie -- an old-school dessert found in the Joy of Cooking, popular because it can be made with common pantry ingredients such as butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla.

But Milk Bar pastry chef Christina Tosi's reimagining makes Crack Pie an original. Instead of just a humdrum pie shell that serves as a container for the filling, Tosi dreamed up a shell that begins with a homemade oat cookie blended with a bit more butter, sugar and a healthy dash of salt.

The result is a crust that is divinely rustic and unrefined -- don't bother trying to get a perfect edge as you press it into the pie plate. It just won't happen.

Under Tosi's reconsidering, the interior of this pie takes a glug of heavy cream, a bit of milk powder to help give the mixture body and egg yolks instead of whole eggs.

It's baked at 350 F for 15 minutes, and then 325 degrees for about 10 minutes, just until the top is golden brown. The interior will jiggle when you remove it from the oven.

You will fear that the pie is undercooked.

But you must have faith.

It's not an understatement to say that this pie defies description. But I'll try. It's ooey-gooey. Buttery and rich. Silky. Pillowy. I'll wager that it's not like any pie you've ever had before because that salty-sweet-crunchy-oaty crust is as much a part of the pie as the filling itself. In a weird way, it reminds me of kettle corn, with that one-two, salty-sweet hit that keeps you coming back for more. And more. And more.

Tosi says Crack Pie must be served cold. And this is where she and I disagree. Take it out of the oven and let it cool just a bit -- otherwise, it's like pouring molten lava on your tongue, and I tell you this from personal experience -- but you want it to be warm when served.

Tosi and I agree, however, on how it should be eaten.

With a spoon.

While it's still in the pie plate.

With your favorite someone.

Momofuku's Crack Pie

This pie calls for 2 (10-inch) pie tins. You can substitute 9-inch pie tins, but note that the pies will require additional baking time, about 5 minutes, due to the increased thickness of the filling.

Total time: 11/2 hours, plus cooling and chilling times

Makes 2 pies (6 to 8 servings each)

Cookie for crust

- 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (3 ounces) flour

- Scant 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 mL) baking powder

- Scant 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 mL)baking soda

- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 mL) salt

- 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter

- 1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar

- 3 tablespoons (11/4 ounces) sugar

- 1 egg

- Scant 1 cup (31/2 ounces) rolled oats

1. Heat the oven to 375 F.

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

3. 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.

4. Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.

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

6. Spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch 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.

Crust

- Crumbled cookie for crust

- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

- 11/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) brown sugar

- 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 mL) salt

1. 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). Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. 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

- 11/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar

- 3/4 cup (175 mL) plus a scant 3 tablespoons (7 ounces) light brown sugar

- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 mL) salt

- 1/3 cup (75 mL) plus

1 teaspoon (3/4 ounce) milk powder

- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

- 3/4 cup (175 mL) plus a scant 2 tablespoons (25 mL) heavy cream

- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract

- 8 egg yolks

- 2 prepared crusts

- Powdered sugar, garnish

1. Heat the oven to 350 F.

2. 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.

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

4. Divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells.

5. Bake the pies, one at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 F 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.

6. 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.

Source: Adapted from Chef Christina Tosi of Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar in New York.

Each of 16 servings: 432 calories; 4 g protein; 45 g carbohydrates; 1 g fibre; 27 g fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 187 mg cholesterol; 36 g sugar; 125 mg sodium.

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Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar


Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar
207 Second Avenue, New York NY 10003 (on 13th Street)
212-254-3500

What Is Crack Pie?
[the short answer]
It contains no crack—no, really—just butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, sugar, and a little corn flour. Endorsed by Anderson Cooper, among others [see below]