Maple sugar pie

     Maple sugar pie, a Quebecois classic. I get some every time I'm skiing in Tremblant. You can get it here but it just isn't the same, kind of like real poutine or tortiere. I didn't go skiing this year so I decided to try making this at home.

     There are hundreds of recipes for "tarte au sucre" or sugar pie. If they tell you brown sugar is an acceptable substitute for the maple sugar, they lie. If you have a sweet tooth and you like maple, do yourself a favour and try this recipe. It is delicious and oh so decadent.

     I couldn't find the maple sugar, so I made my own. It is relatively easy, just be careful, you are working with molten sugar. I boiled two litres (5 Lbs)  of syrup and ended up with 3 1/2 pound of  sugar. It's about a 40% water weight loss. It took 40 minutes to boil the syrup to a temperature of 290 degrees, which may have been a little too high. If I ever do it again, I'll see what it is like at 270 degrees. I was expecting something like brown sugar, but got a very dry, very hard sugar at the higher temperature. Stir it like you would if making jelly, almost constantly. It is good for the first 15 minutes, occasionally, but as it reduced needed constant attention to stop scorching. Before you think I've gone all "Martha Stewart", I did not grow or tap the trees. LOL On to the pie.

Maple sugar pie

     This is a surprisingly easy recipe with only four ingredients. It takes about an hour to make and serves 12. Tiny servings, so rich and sweet.

Ingredients

1 prepared and baked pie shell, fully cooled

pate sucree is traditional but I used my never fail recipe here

I am making strawberry rhubarb pie tomorrow and didn't want to make pastry twice

Filling

1 cup maple sugar

1/4 cup flour/cornstarch

3/4 cup heavy cream *

1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together sugar and flour or cornstarch until smooth and lump free.

Add cream and syrup and whisk until well combined.

Pour into baked pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.

You can serve this warm with ice cream or whipped cream but I prefer it plain, nothing between me and my pie.

* The recipe calls for 35% cream but I imagine even milk would work, but seriously why worry about fat or calories in this recipe. It is all about indulging your sweet tooth.

     This was not what I was expecting when I decided to try the recipe. I think what I was looking for was Maple syrup pie which is slightly different. It is cooked on the stove and poured into a pie shell like a lemon meringue pie. I'll let you know the results when I test that one out. Even if it was by accident, it is a delicious recipe and a keeper in my books.

     What is your favourite maple recipe? Leave me a comment and let me know your favourites. Enjoy.