Coffee and Maple Chess Pie
Updated Nov. 25, 2024
- Total Time
- 2 hours 15 minutes, plus 1½ hours’ cooling
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 2 hours, plus 1½ hours’ cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1round Laminated Pie Dough
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 4large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅓cup/67 grams granulated sugar
- ⅔cup/210 grams maple syrup
- 8tablespoons/113 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ⅓cup/78 grams buttermilk
- 1tablespoon bourbon or vanilla extract
- 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼cup/40 grams fine cornmeal
- 1cup/240 grams heavy cream
- 2tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2teaspoons instant espresso
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- Candied orange strips, cut into thin slivers, for garnishing (optional)
For the Crust
For the Buttermilk Filling
For the Espresso Whipped Cream
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
393 calories; 26 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 28 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 297 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Parbake the crust: Rap the dough lightly if it’s stiff from the refrigerator. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough on a floured surface into a 12-inch round. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate, letting it slump into the center, taking care not to stretch it. If needed, trim the overhang so it extends ½ inch past the rim. Fold the overhang under itself to form a thick ridge flush with the rim. Crimp the ridge.
- Step 2
Use a fork to poke holes on the bottom of the crust, and freeze for about 20 minutes, until firm.
- Step 3
Heat oven to 425 degrees with racks in the center and lowest position. Line the firm dough with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the center rack for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and weights, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown all over. Let cool completely.
- Step 4
Make the filing: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the syrup, butter, buttermilk, bourbon and salt and whisk until incorporated. Whisk in the cornmeal and immediately pour the mixture into the cooled crust.
- Step 5
Bake on the bottom rack at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is light golden brown and the edges are set but the center is still slightly jiggly. Cool completely at room temperature. You can store the untopped pie tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to a day.
- Step 6
Make the cream: Using a hand mixer and large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, instant espresso and salt until medium-stiff to stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Spread the cream over the top of the cooled pie, decoratively spiral if desired, and top with candied orange peel. Or instead of spreading the cream on top, you can serve it alongside the pie. Serve immediately. The topped pie will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Private Notes
Comments
Candied orange peel can be made in the microwave. One needs to boil the strands of orange rind in three water baths to get rid of the bitterness. On the fourth round add sugar (keep it wet). I also love candied grapefruit peel. You will need a sharp knife for thin strands of peel... and carve away as much of the pith as possible.
There are two ways you might be able to get espresso powder where you live. One is to order it from King Arthur flour, if they ship internationally. Otherwise, if you have Starbucks there, they make really convenient instant espresso powders in little packets called "Via"s. They come in decaf and caffeinated. I always use the decaf because caffeine doesn't always cook or bake off. I used them for all my cooking and baking. Good luck!
Just watched the videos (which are very entertaining and delightful!) He used espresso powder.
For some reason I don't understand, the center part of the crust of the pie came out undone and the maple filling separed and baked as two layers (the bottom layer yellowwish orange,—I assume is the cornmeal with other denser parts.—and the top part baked out as a flan with the typical color of a flan—I assume is the eggy part and other lighter ingredients…) I cooked it longer (45-50 mins) bcs mine didn't souffléd like Vauhn's so I waited to see the burnished top and the soufflé-action. Help me understand what happened bcs I don't know. The separation only happens when you over-bake, doesn't it? And if I overcooked it why the center crust came out undone? The sides of the crust look and taste completely fine, and so does the whole pie, but I don't understand what happened.
My 86 year old mother’s family is from Georgia (prior to the Civil War). She grew up with Chess Pie as did I. She stood in the kitchen while I made this today. She was very skeptical of this recipe (too much corn meal). She was right. I don’t know what this is but it is NOT a chess pie. It was inedible and I had to throw it out. No Christmas dessert for us. First failure from the NYT food app.
@Anna I made mine a week ahead, froze, thawed in fridge then added whipped cream. tasted great!