Butterscotch Pie

First make the pie crust. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. You have two options when adding the butter. 1) You could cut the butter into pea-sized pieces over the bowl. But this method usually means holding the butter in your hand which will warm it up, thus making less cold-induced flakiness. Or 2) You could cut the stick into general 2-inch cubes on a cutting board, add the butter cubes to the bowl and toss them to coat in the dry ingredients (this helps protect them from the warm air) and use this dough scraper to chop the butter cubes into smaller bits that are roughly pea-sized. I have become obsessed with using dough scrapers since my time at KAF, they are so versatile and make mixing and cleaning up and spreading out thin layers of flour so much easier. This method is better because it keeps the butter colder longer. Begin adding the tablespoons of ice water while stirring gently. Grab a handful of the mixture and squeeze. If it generally sticks together when you let go, it is fine. If it completely crumbles apart, it needs a bit more water.

Roll it out into a 1 cm thick circle onto a well-greased and well-floured surface. Place it in the pie pan, trim excess crust, and cut out designs with a cookie cutter to place around the edge of the crust (optional). Secure the decorations by putting a spot (about 1/4 teaspoon) of melted butter on the back of the decorative dough piece and pressing down gently when placing it on the crust's edge. Cover and place the crust shell in the refrigerator until use.

Whisk the egg whites in a medium sized bowl until they just begin to have a layer of froth on top of the liquid. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat the butter, cream, and 1/2 cup of the brown sugar over medium heat until melted and beginning to boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before adding the milk, cornmeal, flour, salt, vanilla extract, and remaining sugar. Place back on the stove top and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat.

Gradually add one cup of the mixture to a medium-sized bowl with the egg yolks in it, whisking continuously. Once combined, whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the butterscotch mixture and then whisk in the egg whites. The mixture should feel very thick at this point. Place the post back on the heat at the lowest heat setting and cook for 7 more minutes, whisking constantly, taking care *not* to allow the mixture to boil. Remove the mixture from the heat, pour into the prepared pie crust, and place the pie in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.

While it is baking, make the meringue. In an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together the egg whites and the cream of tart tart until able to hold a firm peak. Slowly whisk in the sugar in the thin stream until incorporated and the meringue turns shiny and glossy. Turn off the stand mixer.

After 20 minutes of baking, removed the pie from the oven and quickly but gently place the meringue on top of the pie, sealing in the filling. Feel free to make points on the meringue with your spatula, as any exposed areas will brown in the oven. Place the pie back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pie and allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.