Have you ever got caught up in the hype of something and been desperate to try it because everyone else in the whole world except you seems to have tried it and deemed it good? At the moment, the "in" thing is cronuts - every other day there is an article in the newspaper or a TV story about cronuts. Apparently, there is even a black market for cronuts. If I decide that I really have to try a cronut, I will skip the black market and make my own.
A couple of years back, Momofuku Milk Bar's crack pie was the cronut of today - everybody had to have it. Bon Appetit says about Crack Pie, "Anyone who has taken a bite of this Milk Bar best seller immediately knows the reason for the sassy name. Once you start eating this rich, salty-sweet pie with its oat cookie crust, you won't be able to stop." I have read about crack pie on plenty of blogs, but as New York is a long way away, and a single pie costs $44, I won't be having the real thing anytime soon. However, never fear ...
Rachael from pizzarossa was our lovely June 2013 Daring Bakers’ host and she had us whipping up delicious pies in our kitchens! Cream pies, fruit pies, chocolate pies, even crack pies! There’s nothing like pie!
One of the recipe options that Rachael gave to us is the Bon Appetit recipe for crack pie. This gave me the opportunity after all this time to finally find out about crack pie for myself. Looks good, doesn't it:
It's hard to explain what crack pie is like, but unchilled, it really is like pecan pie without the pecans (as someone else suggested), and chilled, it is like caramel fudge pie. The pie has an oat cookie crust that melds into a brown sugar toffee-like substance when the pie is filled and baked, and the filling really does taste like caramel fudge.
I almost didn't make this because milk powder here costs a squillion and the smallest bag you can buy is 1kg (what ever happened to small cans of Sunshine Milk Powder?) when all I needed was a tablespoon to make the pie, but I relented on the basis that as the cost of a crack pie is $44 from Momofuku, I am still ahead.
And the verdict? I liked this pie - in fact I liked it better warm than chilled (which is how it is meant to be served). However, I haven't developed an addiction to it - I prefer good old fashioned caramel tart.
To see what the other Daring Bakers made this month, you can take a look at the slide show on the Daring Bakers website on the 27th, US East Coast time.
I've always wanted to try crack pie for myself! Looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteOk i just found out (thanks to you) about the cronuts and I have to make them hahahaha this recipe looks good too :)
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting but a can of condensed milk for caramel tart is more realistic for me - what I hate about the big bags of milk powder is that I buy it for one thing and then it sits and gets old and takes up space and I feel bad throwing it out
ReplyDeleteMy friend made this for dessert when I went for Christmas dinner. Delish! I have been meaning to make it myself. With all the leftover milk powder, you'll have to make this again (and again). At that point, you might become addicted.
ReplyDeleteYour pie looks great. If you omit the milk powder, would you really taste a difference?
ReplyDeleteThe thing about the cronut is really interesting. I'll have to try it.
That's exactly how I described it! It's nice and like you I liked it better warm or at least not chilled.
ReplyDeleteI think I must be really out of the loop - I hadn't heard of cronuts OR this pie! On looking at them, I think I'd like this more than the cronut, and think I'd like it a lot. I'm impressed at how good yours looks :)
ReplyDeleteI must be out of the loop too - this was new to me. Interesting! Yours looks very good.
ReplyDeleteI made this one too - somehow, I avoided making it for a very long time.
ReplyDeleteNow, on to the cronuts - I have heard of them, but I still have no idea what the heck they are...
Your pie looks fabulous! I would love to give this one a try.
ReplyDeleteI've had the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook for months now and I keep telling myself I have to make this pie, but then something comes up and I never get the time. It's on my to-do list though! Yours looks beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYour crack pie looks fantastic! Thanks so much for baking with me this month :)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you can't get Sunshine milk powder. I keep it all the time in the little tin. A bag full would be a pain. But anyway your pie looks great. I must try it!
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