Maple Pecan Brown Butter Pie I’ll Be Making All Winter Long.

No shades to pumpkin gingerbread and treats—I love pumpkin bread pudding and custard —but I really wanted a change. I wanted to make a cake that would scratch the itch for an everyday cold weather dessert, but also expand a little. I pushed “Libby” away and instead reached for a bottle of maple syrup and a bag of shelled walnuts. This is my maple pecan pie with browned butter and I’ll be making it all winter, thank you very much.

I used a Ninja food processor to make the toasted walnut flour (it’s quick and worth it) and mixed most of the ingredients together, which overall makes the recipe easier. What makes this cake special isn’t the unusual technique or level of difficulty (it’s actually not difficult to make), but the way the flavors come together, one punch after another. You start with browned butter, add toasted pecan meal, add a layer of malted maple syrup, pour in hot buttermilk, and finally top it all off with a (technically optional) shot of bourbon.

Tips for Baking Maple Pecan Pie with Browned Butter

Start by browning the butter in a frying pan while you toast the walnut chunks in the oven. Neither takes much time, but once they’re ready, both ingredients can be set aside and brought to room temperature while you measure out the other ingredients. Using a pastry brush, thoroughly butter your cake pan (or whatever pan you choose), then flour the pan well. The nut batter will stick to the pan, so don’t skip this step.

The result is a truly special cake. Its tender crumb is the perfect balance of sweet maple, toasted butter and bitter walnut. The bourbon flavors the cake and complements the nutty flavor. I prefer these cakes to be unfrosted because I like to unceremoniously grab a slice and snack on them while I’m walking around the house, but I added a simple maple frosting to give people an option – it takes a while to whip everything together and if you like maple , he hits the nail on the head.

This cake can be made at any time of the year, but the combination of flavors makes it especially cozy. Ideal with light snowfall and a warm drink.

This cake gets better as it sits. Keep it covered at room temperature for up to five days.

Browned Butter, Maple and Walnut Pie

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 2 ½ cups (about 10 ounces) shelled walnut halves and pieces, toasted

• 4 tablespoons butter (plus some for greasing the pan)

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup maple syrup

• 4 tablespoons bourbon, whiskey or rum (less if desired)

• ¼ cup buttermilk

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 eggs, room temperature

For the glaze:

• 3 tablespoons butter, soft

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• 1 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour the pan. Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and arrange them in a single layer. Roast them in the oven for 10-12 minutes, turning the nuts about halfway through cooking. The nuts are ready to toast when they smell like walnuts and are lightly browned. Cool to room temperature. Reserve eight to 12 beautiful walnut halves for garnish.

2. While the nuts are toasting, brown the butter. Melt the butter in a frying pan (preferably stainless steel so you can see the bottom) and let it evaporate. When the oil stops bubbling heavily and you see the pieces at the bottom have turned dark brown, remove the oil from the heat. Cool to room temperature.

3. Add half the flour and toasted walnuts to a food processor. Whisk until the nuts are fine. Add the rest of the flour and stir until the nuts are almost sandy. All together it will take about a minute or less. Add baking soda, salt and baking powder. Stir a few times and pour everything into a large bowl.

4. In the same food processor, add maple syrup, room temperature brown butter, brown sugar, bourbon, buttermilk, olive oil and eggs. Mix until smooth and smooth. Pour it into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the pie at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes. The cake will be ready when a nice crack appears on top, which will spring back when you press on the center. You can also use a toothpick as you will have to turn the cake later. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a paring knife or spoon (if your bundle shape is curved) and invert onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.

6. To make the frosting, beat the soft butter and maple syrup in a bowl. Beat the powdered sugar until smooth. You can make the frosting thicker or thinner by adding more sugar or maple syrup. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Tap it on the counter if you want the frosting to flow down the sides neatly. Top with reserved walnut halves and enjoy.

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