Sawdust Pie

I am a big fan of one page recipes (even though the dough and cream were on other recipe pages). The Sawdust Pie reminds me of a pecan pie as the flavor and texture is similar and I think it's perfect for fall.

Talk about an easy to make pie! I hate to sound like a broken record, but this was another simple and straightforward dessert from Baked Explorations. I made the dough one night after work and stuck it in the fridge. Next day after work, came home rolled out the dough and did the rest. I was moving fast and it was done before I knew it. The only problem was after making and eating this delicious recipe, it dawned on me the next day that I couldn't remember if I did or did not put the graham crackers in. I have thought about it many times and still don't know. It's a great excuse to make it again.

Some of the ingredients are among my favorites (pecans, brown sugar, and graham crackers). However, my roommate can't stand coconut...the result of a drinking binge on Malibu back in his younger years. He was hesitant to eat it but did because that is what good roommates do, and thankfully, he loved it! He didn't taste the coconut flavor so much but could tell the texture was there but that didn't bother him so much. It was a success for him, which makes me happy as I do want to make this again soon.

RECIPE

Classic Pie Dough

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

Sawdust Pie

1 ball classic pie dough

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

1 1/4 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, about 21 graham crackers

2 ounces high-quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 egg whites

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Simple Whipped Cream

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Classic Pie Dough

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together. In a measuring cup, stir 3/4 cup water with several ice cubes until it is very cold.

Cut the cold butter into cubes and toss them into the mixture to coat. Put the mixture in the bowl of a food processor and pulse in short bursts until the butter pieces are the size of hazelnuts.

Pulsing in 4-second bursts, slowly drizzle the ice water into the food processor through the feed tube.

As soon as the dough comes together in a ball, stop adding water. Remove the dough from the food processor and divide it in half. Flatten each piece into a disk and wrap each disk first in parchment paper and then in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough until firm, about 1 hour. (The dough can be kept refrigerated for up top 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.Thaw it in the refrigerator before proceeding with your recipe.)

Sawdust Pie

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Roll out the dough ball into a 12-inch round. Transfer it to a pie dish and carefully work it into place, folding any overhang under and crimping the edge as you go. Wrap and refrigerate the crust for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine the sugars, coconut, pecans, graham crackers crumbs, white chocolate and salt. Add the egg whites and vanilla and stir together until just combined - the egg whites should coat all of the ingredients.

Transfer the filling to the prepared pie shell. Bake until filling is set to the touch, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool the pie for at least 1 hour before serving it warm, with whipped cream and sliced bananas, if you like.

Whipped Cream

Pour the cream into a chilled metal bowl and beat with a chilled whisk for about 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the sugar on the cream and continue whisking vigorously until stiff peaks form.

CRYSTAL'S NOTES

• For the whipped cream, you can use a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. I do not have any intention to whisk by hand unless the electricity is out. And I definitely don't make time to chill my bowls or whisks.

Enjoy!



Source: Baked Explorations