Recipe Post! Christmas dinner: Butterscotch Cream Pie

This delicious recipe originated from Martha Stewart’s website, but I have made a couple of important changes to make it more to my taste, and the taste of our guests for our Christmas night dinner.

Butterscotch Cream Pie

3/4 cup sugar
5 large egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups heavy cream, heated until very warm
2 cups whole milk, heated until very warm
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup salted almond brittle
Gingersnap Crust

FILLING: In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until pale in color; set aside.
Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium, high-sided saucepan. Stir until sugar is completely damp; once sugar water comes to a boil, do not stir.. Heat mixture over high heat until sugar becomes a golden caramel, about 8 minutes (swirling the pan while caramel is darkening is helpful).
Remove pan from heat. Slowly whisk in 1 cup heated cream, being careful to avoid splatters, then stir in heated milk. Return caramel mixture to stove and bring to a boil; remove from heat.
“Temper” the caramel by slowly pouring one third of the caramel mixture into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking to combine. Whisk combined mixture back into remaining caramel until well combined. Add vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until custard thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat; whisk in salt and butter.
Strain custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then pour into prepared gingersnap pie crust. Transfer pie plate to a wire rack and let filling cool completely. Transfer pie to refrigerator and chill until cold, about 1 hour.
TOPPING: Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups cream until soft peaks form; spread whipped cream over top of pie. Sprinkle 1/2 cup brittle over top of pie just before serving. Pie is best eaten day it is made, but can be kept, loosely covered in plastic wrap, refrigerated, up to 2 days.

Gingersnap Crust

1 3/4 cups gingersnap crumbs, from about 1/2 batch Gingersnaps
1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together gingersnap crumbs, brown sugar, flour, and salt. Add butter and stir until mixture is well combined. Press some of the mixture against the side of the bowl with your fingers. If the crumbs do not hold together, add cold water, a little at a time, up to 1 tablespoon, and stir to combine.
Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate, evenly covering the bottom and sides. Transfer to freezer and chill for 10 minutes. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until crust is fragrant and set, about 10 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Gingersnaps

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1/4 cup blackstrap or fancy molasses
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup Demerara sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together granulated sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, molasses, and ginger until combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated.
Form dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place Demerara sugar in a shallow dish and roll each ball of dough in sugar to coat. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly.
Bake, until dark golden brown, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Salted Almond Brittle

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 1/2 cups salted roasted almonds

Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a large saucepan, combine sugar, butter, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water; stir so that sugar is wet. Place mixture over high heat and cook, without stirring, until it turns dark amber in color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Carefully whisk in baking soda, followed by salt; mixture will rise and bubble. Using a wooden or metal spoon, fold in almonds. Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet, quickly spreading in an even 1/2″ thick layer using a silicone spatula. Let cool completely.
Break brittle into bite-size pieces using a mallet or the back of a heavy knife. Brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 weeks.