SALTY PLUFF MUD PIE

Salty Pluff Mud Pie image

Community-supported agriculture takes many forms these days, but only in Charleston, S.C., will you find a C.S.A. for pie. Amy Robinette, who grew up in Spartanburg, S.C., is committed to adapting Southern desserts, which have often come to rely on supersweet and artificial ingredients, back to real food. In her kitchen, the chocolate chess pie her grandmother always made - filled with white sugar, evaporated milk, and cocoa powder - has been adapted to local ingredients. The pie gets its name from "pluff" mud, the sticky, sulfurous sediment that lines the bottom of the South Carolina tidal marshes; some say it is the true source of Lowcountry flavor. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)

Provided by Julia Moskin

Time 1h20m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups/354 milliliters honey
4 1/2 tablespoons/32 grams dark cocoa powder
6 tablespoons/85 grams butter, cubed
3/4 cup/180 milliliters heavy cream
4 eggs
1 chilled, unbaked pie crust in a 9-inch pan (see recipe)
2 tablespoons/30 milliliters milk
Flaky sea salt, for topping

Steps:

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine honey, cocoa, butter and cream in a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture is just starting to simmer.
Meanwhile, lightly beat 3 eggs in a medium bowl. Very slowly add 1/2 cup of hot honey mixture, whisking constantly. Pour tempered egg mixture back into the pot, whisking constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling. Continue to cook, stirring, until mixture is smooth and thick, 3 to 4 minutes; remove from heat.
Remove pie crust from refrigerator and flute edges. Whisk together remaining egg and the milk until well combined. Brush egg wash over edge of pie dough, making sure to cover the ins and outs of the fluting.
Pour filling into pie shell and lightly tap pie plate on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake pie for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until filling is no longer soupy when jiggled. Allow pie to cool for at least 3 hours, then sprinkle with sea salt.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 517, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 70 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 14 grams, Sodium 162 milligrams, Sugar 53 grams, TransFat 0 grams