For many years Olivia Pattison sold wonderful breads and yummy baked goods under the name Cinnamon Starship at the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market and at local restaurants and farm stands. Sadly for us, she moved away to Beckett, Massachusetts, where she now owns and operates The Neon Newt. (Definitely go if you are nearby!) Happily, though, her honey pie is easy to make. The crust, which tastes like shortbread, is a particularly nice surprise. It’s made with melted butter (rather than cold), and in an American simplification of northern European technique, you simply mix the ingredients together and pat them into place. Claudia might consider this a tart, but I’ll say that whatever you call it, honey pie is delicious.
Makes a 9-inch pie
For the crust:
• ½ cup (113 grams) butter
• 11/4 cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt (or a 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal)
For the filling:
• ¾ cup whole raw almonds
• 2/3 cup raw honey (Olivia suggests a flavorful variety; she prefers buckwheat, wildflower, or knotweed honey)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup (57 grams) butter
• 1/4 teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt (or a 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
1. To start the crust, heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat then allow it to cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar and salt. Stir in the melted butter, forming a soft dough. Gather the dough into a ball and then press it into a 9-inch tart pan working out from the middle and moving up the sides of the pan.
3. Prebake the crust until it is set and golden, about 20 minutes, then set it aside to cool.
4. To make the filling, toast the almonds in a skillet in the oven until fragrant, about 12 minutes. Allow them to cool, then roughly chop them and arrange them in a single even layer in the crust.
5. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and reserve them.
6. Combine the honey and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan deep enough so that the honey can foam without overflowing. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the honey darkens and reduces a little, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly whisk in the salt and cream. When the cream is fully incorporated, whisk in the eggs.
7. Pour the honey-caramel over the chopped almonds. Bake until the filling is set and puffed at the edges but still a little wobbly in the center, about 15 minutes. Cool completely then serve.
