Nutmeg-Maple Custard Pie

Pie is the most important part of the Thanksgiving feast. I added this wonderful pie onto the menu in addition to our traditional apple and pumpkin pies. It may have to be a new tradition. 😉 Everyone tried a very small slice of each! Perfect.

The creamy nutmeg-maple filling was absolutely amazing. The crust was flaky and fabulous as well. We loved it!

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I modified the pie crust. I made the par-baked crust two days in advance and baked the pie one day before Thanksgiving, refrigerating the pie overnight and bringing it to room temperature before serving.

Using extra pie crust from my apple pie, I cut out maple leaves and baked them to use as decoration on top of the finished pie. Nice.

Yield: One 9-inch pie, about 8 servings

For the Crust:

• 150 g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water, as needed

1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt.
2. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms blueberry-sized pieces.
3. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
6. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 13-inch round a scant 1/4 inch thick. (I rolled it out on a floured silicone pastry mat to about 1/8-inch thick.)
7. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie dish (I used a pottery pie dish). Fold the dough under itself and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate the pie shell for 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Crumple up a large sheet of parchment paper (this is a trick to allow it to fit more snugly in the pie dish). Line the pie shell with the parchment paper and then foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans.
9. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake in the center of the oven until nearly set, about 20 to 25 minutes.
10. Remove the foil and weights, discard the parchment, and bake until the crust is pale golden, about 10 minutes longer. Let cool completely. (I pre-baked the pie crust one day in advance.)

For the Pie Filling:

• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust (recipe above)
• whipped cream, for serving, optional
• decorative pre-baked pie crust shapes, optional

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. (I set my oven to true convection.)
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and egg. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce maple syrup by a quarter, 5 to 7 minutes. (It will boil vigorously- so use a tall pot and stir constantly.)
4. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
5. Whisking constantly, slowly add cream mixture to eggs.
6. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl with a pouring spout.
7. Stir in salt, nutmeg and vanilla.
8. Place pie dish on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet and pour filling into crust. Cover the edge of the pie crust with foil (or equivalent) to prevent over-browning.
9. Bake until pie is firm to touch but jiggles slightly when moved, 45 to 50 minutes on convection, or about 1 hour in a standard oven.
10. Let cool to room temperature before serving. Store in the refrigerator if making ahead of time; bring to room temperature before serving.

To Make (Optional) Pie Crust Topping/Decorations:

• extra pie crust, rolled 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch thick
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

1. Using extra 1/8-inch thick pie crust (I used some from my apple pie), cut into desired shapes. I cut mine into small maple leaves.
2. Chill cut shapes on a piece of parchment paper for 10 minutes in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Remove from refrigerator and place the parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Brust the top of each shape with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 oven, preferably on convection, for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Strawberry Cream Pie

This pie is an upgrade of classic strawberries and cream. It was simple and minimally sweet. The creamy pudding filling was flavored with vanilla bean- yum. I had originally planned to make it with our freshly picked berries but ultimately made it with store-bought berries. (I ran out!) The honey drizzle was essential to the presentation and to add a little sweetness.

The recipe was adapted from Food 52, contributed by Erin Jeanne McDowell. I made the crust and filling in advance and chilled each component separately until serving to ensure that the crust wouldn’t soften once assembled. I must note that the crust remained crisp the next day when we ate the leftover pie. I also used a ceramic deep dish pie pan. Next time, I would sweeten the filling a little bit more, noted below. I would also add salt to enhance the vanilla flavor.

This would be a wonderful dessert to serve on July 4th because the components can be made in advance. Nice.

Yield: One 9-inch pie

For the Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 8 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
• 3 tablespoons ice water, or more as needed

For the Filling:

• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided (adjust sweetness to your taste)
• 1/3 cup (5 T) cornstarch
• generous pinch of coarse salt, or to taste
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 quart strawberries, hulled (or enough to cover the top of the pie)
• 2 tablespoons wildflower honey

To Make the Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 425º F, preferably on convection.
2. In a large bowl or in a food processor, combine the flour and salt.
3. Add the butter and toss to coat. Cut the butter into the flour with your hands, or pulse in the food processor until the butter resembles the size of peas.
4. Add the water and mix to combine. The dough should come together easily but not be wet or sticky.
5. Wrap the dough and chill for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it’s 1/8-inch thick. (I rolled it out between lightly floured parchment paper.)
7. Transfer it to a pie plate, and trim the edges so there is only 1/2 inch of overhang all around. (I did not have this luxurious amount of excess crust because I used a ceramic deep dish pie plate.)
8. Chill the dough inside the pie plate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
9. Fold the excess dough under at the edges, pressing gently to “seal” the dough to the pie plate. Finish the edges as desired.
10. Poke the base of the crust a few times with a fork. If the dough seems warm, chill it again.
11. Line the crust with parchment paper and pie weights, and bake until the crust is golden and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
12. Remove the parchment and pie weights and continue baking until the crust is fully baked, 5 to 10 minutes more. (I continued to cook the crust for an additional 8 minutes.)
13. Cool completely. (After the crust had completely cooled, I covered it with plastic wrap and kept it at room temperature overnight. I chilled it the next day before assembling the dessert.)

To Make the Filling & Finish the Pie:

1. Mix the milk, cream, vanilla bean, and 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of granulated sugar together in a medium sauce pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. (I used 1/4 cup granulated sugar this time but would use up to 1/2 cup next time.)
2. While the milk warms up, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, and eggs in a medium heat-safe bowl.
3. When the milk comes to a simmer, gradually pour the hot liquid into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to combine.
4. Return the mixture to the pot and cook until the mixture is thick and comes to the “first boil” (one large bubble rising from the center of the pot, not many small bubbles around the edges).
5. Whisk in the butter and pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary. (I made the filling a day in advance and placed it in a glass bowl and refrigerated it overnight.)
6. Cover the surface of the pudding directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 3 hours. (I chilled the pie crust for at least 3 hours prior to assembling and serving the pie as well.)
7. To finish the pie, top the pie with the hulled strawberries.
8. Warm the honey in the microwave or over medium heat, and when it’s runny, brush it over the strawberries.
9. Serve the pie chilled. (not too chilled- let it warm up slightly so that the flavors shine through!)

Szarlotka

I am happy to have a fitting post to share on Pi day! 🙂

Dorie Greenspan described this Polish dessert as a “combination of a cake, a crumble, and a torte.” After reading this in her book, I expected something different. I would describe it as a fruit-packed deep dish pie.

Because I served it warm, the slices had a little bit of trouble keeping their shape! Ice cream was not an essential accompaniment, but we preferred it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The recipe was adapted from Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty, & Simple by Dorie Greenspan. Next time I would add some cinnamon and nutmeg to the filling.

The original recipe includes ideas for variations in the filling including mixing pears with the apples and using dried cherries or dried cranberries instead of raisins. Toasted nuts would also be delicious in the filling.

Yield: One 9-inch pie (serves 8 to 10)

For the Crust:

• 306 g (2 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 150 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 11 T (5 1/2 oz / 155 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cold large egg
• 1 cold large egg white

For the Filling:

• 3 pounds (1.3 kg) sweet apples, such as Fuji or Gala, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 67 g (1/3 cup / 5 T) packed light brown sugar (or more, to taste)
• 1 1/2 T all-purpose flour
• 160 g (1 cup) moist, plump raisins, preferably golden
• cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or allspice, to taste, optional
• freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste (I used 1/2 a large lemon)

To Serve:

• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• ice cream or whipped cream, for serving, optional

To Make the Crust:

1. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Place the prepared pan on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet.
2. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend.
3. Drop in the pieces of butter and pulse, about 15 times, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl a couple to times. The mixture should resemble crumbs.
4. Lightly beat the egg and egg white; add to the flour mixture in 3 additions, pulsing after each. Scrape the bowl as needed. The mixture should form moist clumps and curds.
5. Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and gather it together.
6. Remove 1/3 of the dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer. (This dough will be used for the topping.)
7. Shape the remaining dough into a ball, flatten it and sandwich it between sheets of parchment paper.
8. Roll the dough into a round about 14-inches in diameter. Peel the parchment back intermittently to make sure it’s not creasing the dough. (The round will be about 1/8-inch thick.)
9. Place the dough (still between the parchment sheets) on a flat surface and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
10. After chilling, transfer the dough to the springform pan. Gently press it against the bottom and up the sides, patching and folding if necessary. Trim the top even with the pan.
11. Place the pan/crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

To Make the Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. (I set my oven to the convection setting.)
2. Toss the chopped apples, brown sugar, flour, and raisins in a large bowl and mix to coat the apples with sugar and flour. Add the spices at this time as well, if using.
3. Mix in the lemon juice; mix.
4. Taste a piece of apple and adjust the sweetness and/or spices, to taste. Let rest for 5 minutes and mix again.
5. Place the dough-lined pan on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Scoop the filling into the crust, including any juices that have accumulated in the bowl.
7. Remove the chunk of dough from the freezer and, using the large holes of a box grater, grate the frozen dough. Intermittently stop and sprinkle the pieces over the top of the apples.
8. Bake the pie for 40 minutes.
9. Tent it loosely with foil and bake another 25 minutes or so, until the top is golden brown and, most importantly, the juices are bubbling up thorough the top crust. (I baked it for an additional 35 minutes once tented but would add even more time next time- the apples could have been even more tender.)
10. Transfer the szarlotka, on the baking sheet, to a rack and let rest for 20 minutes.
11. Gently run a table knife between the pie and the sides of the pan and remove the sides of the springform pan.
12. Let the pie cool until it’s just warm or reaches room temperature.

To Serve:

1. Dust the pie with confectioners’ sugar.
2. Slice the pie using a serrated knife using a sawing motion.
3. Serve with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, if desired- I recommend it!

Note: The szarlotka is best the day it is made. To store it you can keep it covered at room temperature for one day or refrigerate it for a second day.

Ruffled Pumpkin Milk Pie

This pie is an autumn version of a classic Greek milk pie, or galatopita. I already have my eye on a summer version. 😉 It was very pretty and elegant. The pumpkin flavor was understated.

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart’s Fruit Desserts: 100+ Ways to Savor the Best of Every Season via MarthaStewart.com. I baked the pie in a ceramic baking dish and modified the method. I served it as one of our Thanksgiving desserts this year. I made the pie a day in advance and refrigerated it overnight.

According to the original recipe, clarified butter or ghee is used in lieu of melted butter to eliminate the chance of pockets of moisture in the finished pie.

Yield: Serves 8

• 8 T (1/2 cup) clarified butter or ghee, melted
• 14 to 18 sheets store-bought phyllo (each 14 by 18 inches), thawed if frozen
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup pure pumpkin purée
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground cardamom, sifted (I ground 8 pods)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, preferably on convection.
2. Lightly brush a 9 or 10-inch round cake pan with clarified butter. Line pan with a 13-inch parchment round; brush parchment. (I used a ceramic baking dish so I omitted the parchment paper.)
3. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface, with one long side parallel to edge. Lightly brush phyllo with clarified butter.
4. Using your hands, loosely ruffle phyllo by pushing long sides toward each other to create a long accordion shape, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches tall. Place upright in center of prepared cake pan, folding around to create a spiral. Repeat process with remaining sheets, continuing spiral outward until bottom of pan is covered.
5. Brush remaining clarified butter over tops of phyllo ruffles in pan.
6. Place the cake pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 22 minutes on convection or up to 25 to 30 minutes in a standard oven.
7. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool while making filling (leave the oven on).
8. In a large bowl with a spout, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
9. Gradually pour the egg mixture over baked phyllo, evenly covering surface.
10. Return pan to oven and bake until filling is set, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
11. Use parchment to lift pie out of pan; carefully remove parchment and transfer pie to a platter. (I served the pie in my ceramic baking dish.)
12. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Kale & Spinach Spanakopita Pie

This savory pie gobbled up all of the kale from my CSA box. Kale is more appetizing to my crowd when it’s paired with lots of salty cheese. 🙂 We ate it as a main course with sliced heirloom tomatoes and green salad on the side. It would be wonderful served for brunch or a special lunch too.

This recipe was adapted from The Washington Post, contributed by G. Daniela Galarza. I modified the method and incorporated my CSA purple kale and Toscano kale along with baby spinach. Swiss chard and/or collard greens could also be used in the filling.

The original recipe notes that sheep’s milk feta is traditional in spanakopita but any salty, crumbly or grated cheese such as cojita, chevre, extra-sharp white cheddar, paneer or pecorino would also work. The pie can also be made without the crust as a gluten-free option. Healthy and delicious.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 bunch (about 4 ounces) scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 8 to 10 cups (about 10 ounces) baby spinach (whole) and/or other greens (I used stemmed purple and Toscano kale, sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 ounces phyllo dough, about half a box, defrosted
• 1 bunch (about 1 heaping cup leaves) fresh dill or parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 6 ounces feta, crumbled
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs, whisked well

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. (I used a 14-inch stainless skillet.)
2. Add the scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, about 1 minute.
3. Add the spinach/greens and salt, and cook until the greens wilt, release their liquid, and dry out, about 5 minutes.
4. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and let it cool while you prep the other ingredients and prepare the crust.
5. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. (I set my oven to true convection.)
6. Brush a 9-inch pie plate with olive oil or coat with cooking spray. (I used a ceramic deep dish pie plate.)
7. Crumble the feta in a medium bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, black pepper, and chopped herbs. Set aside.
8. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl. Set aside.
9. Unravel the phyllo dough onto a clean, dry work surface. (I cover the stack with damp paper towels, topped with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out.)
10. Working quickly, gently brush the top sheet of phyllo with some olive oil. There’s no need to oil every spot; the oil will spread as you work. Pick up the first three or four sheets of phyllo in a stack and lay them, oil side up, in the pan, allowing one narrow end to cover the bottom of the pan and the other end to climb up the side of the pie plate and hang over the edge. (I layered the sheets one by one but would group them next time!)
11. Repeat, brushing the top of the remaining stack of phyllo sheets, and placing the next three or four sheets into the pan, oil side up. Continue oiling and fitting the oiled phyllo into the pie plate, rotating the pan so that the bottom is covered and a roughly even amount of phyllo is hanging over the circumference of the pie plate. This will not look perfect; if the phyllo tears, patch it and keep going. Set the pie plate aside.
12. Add the chopped herbs, breadcrumbs, feta and black pepper to the cooled spinach, stirring to combine.
13. Add the eggs, mixing well to combine.
14. Pour the filling into the phyllo-lined pie plate and, using your fingers, crinkle the phyllo overhang partially over the top of the pie, leaving a 5- to 6-inch diameter in the center exposed. The more crinkled the top is, the nicer it will look once baked, so don’t worry about making this look neat.
15. Lightly oil any dry spots of phyllo before baking, if needed.
16. Bake for 22 to 35 minutes, or until the filling is set and the phyllo is deep brown in places, like the color of an almond skin. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Note: The filling can be made one day in advance.

Blueberry & White Peach Graham Galette

This fabulous galette was oozing with delicious juices. I loved that the crust incorporated crushed graham crackers. It was fabulous with and without vanilla ice cream.

This summer galette recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Samantha Seneviratne. I modified the method, used white peaches, and sprinkled the dough with turbinado sugar. I weighed the dry ingredients as well.

Yield: Serves 8

For the Dough:

• 4 graham crackers (about 2 oz)
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 T granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp Morton kosher salt
• 10 T chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For the Filling & to Finish:

• 2 large peaches (about 12 oz), halved, pitted, & thinly sliced (I used white peaches)
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 T cornstarch
• pinch of coarse salt
• 3/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest (I used the zest of 1/2 of a large lemon)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
• all-purpose flour (for rolling dough)
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 2 T chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
• vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

To Make the Dough:

1. Process graham crackers, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until crackers become crumbs and mixture is combined.
2. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand with some larger pieces remaining.
3. Add ice water by the tablespoonful, pulsing after each addition, until evenly moistened and dough holds together when squeezed (2–4 tablespoons).
4. Pat into a 1-inch thick disk and wrap tightly in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour.

Do ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled. (I made the dough 2 days in advance.)

To Make the Filling & to Finish:

1. Preheat oven to 400°, preferably on convection.
2. Toss peach slices, blueberries, cornstarch, salt, lemon zest, cinnamon, and 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar in a large bowl.
3. Unwrap dough and roll out between lightly floured sheets of plastic wrap or parchment to a 12″ round. The round will be approximately 1/8-inch thick.
4. Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper the size of a rimmed baking sheet.
5. Arrange fruit on top, leaving a 1 1/4-inch border.
6. Lift dough edges up and over fruit, pleating as needed.
7. Using parchment paper, slide galette onto the rimmed baking sheet; chill 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Brush top of pastry with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
9. Dot filling with butter.
10. Bake galette until fruit is softened and crust is deep golden brown, 40–50 minutes (some juice may leak out). (Tons of juice leaked out of mine!)
11. Serve galette warm or at room temperature with scoops of ice cream, if desired.

Danish Pear-Apple Bars

My husband isn’t partial to summer fruit- with the exception of freshly picked strawberries. He loves bananas, Bartlett pears, and cantaloupe. 🙂 Before the summer berry and peach baking season, I made these pie bars to embrace sweet and juicy Bartlett pears.

The bars have a Danish-style pie crust which very tender because it incorporates milk and egg yolks instead of ice water. It was really delicious. I also loved the cream cheese glaze spread over the top.

This recipe was adapted from 100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen with Classic Cookies, Novel Treats, Brownies, Bars, and More by Sarah Kieffer. I weighed most of the dry ingredients as well as the peeled and cored fruit. I also used fine sea salt and omitted the brandy.

It was a wonderful springtime dessert but it would also be fabulous for Thanksgiving.

For the Crust:

• 1/2 cup (120 g) whole milk, plus 1 or 2 T if needed
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 1/2 cups (355 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 T granulated sugar
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 cup (2 sticks or 227 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 20 pieces

For the Apple-Pear Filling:

• 8 cups (1100 g) Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and sliced 4mm thick (I used 6 organic pears)
• 1 cup (150 g) peeled and grated Gala apples (I used one large Gala apple)
• 1/3 cup (65 g) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, plus 2 T for sprinkling
• 3 T cornstarch
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 T unsalted butter, melted
• 1 T brandy (I omitted it)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 large egg
• pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 T (15 g) water

For the Cream Cheese Glaze:

• 2 oz (57 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 T whole milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch fine sea salt
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups (120 to 145 g) confectioners’ sugar

To Make the Crust:

1. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the milk and egg yolks. Place in the refrigerator.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour, granulated sugar, and salt on low speed until combined.
3. Add half of the chilled butter and mix on low speed until the butter is just starting to break down, about 1 minute.
4. Add the rest of the butter and continue mixing until the butter is broken down in various sizes. (most should be the size of small peas but some pieces may be larger) Make sure that all of the flour is moistened.
5. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the milk-egg mixture, and mix until the dough starts to come together. If the dough is having trouble coming together, add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of milk.
6. Divide the dough in half, place each piece on a separate piece of plastic wrap and flatten each slightly into a square.
7. Cover and refrigerate until cool but still soft, about 45 minutes.
8. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll one square of the dough into a 9×13-inch rectangle (22×33 cm). (I covered the top with plastic wrap and rolled the dough 1/8-inch thick, using a bench scraper to cut pieces and patch to form the proper shape.)
9. Transfer the dough to a 9×13-inch metal baking pan. Gently pat the dough into the bottom. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
10. Roll out the second square of dough into a 9×13-inch (22 by 33 cm) rectangle using the same method. Place on an inverted sheet pan in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

To Make the Filling:

1. Use a food processor to slice the pears 4mm thick and coarsely grate the apple(s).
2. Combine the sliced pears, grated apple, brown sugar, 1/4 cup (4 T or 50g) granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a small liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine the melted butter, brandy (if using), and vanilla. Pour over the pear-apple mixture and toss to combine.

To Make the Egg Wash:

1. Whisk the egg, salt, and water together in a small bowl; set aside.

To Assemble:

1. Fill the prepared pie shell with the pear-apple mixture and smooth the top.
2. Remove the top crust chilling on the inverted sheet pan from the refrigerator. Place the dough over the top of the filling. (It does not need to be sealed to the bottom layer.) Trim any excess with kitchen shears or a sharp knife.
3. Gently cut a few steam vents into the top layer of dough. (I cut 11 vents.)
4. Chill the pie in the pan in the freezer for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
5. Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
6. Place a sheet pan on the oven rack while the oven is preheating. (The preheated sheet pan helps crisp the bottom of the pie crust.)
7. When the pie is ready to bake, brush the top of the pie with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top with the 2 T reserved granulated sugar.
8. Transfer the pie to the preheated sheet pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling. (I baked mine for 50 minutes.)
9. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool while you make the icing.

To Make the Cream Cheese Glaze:

1. In a small bowl, use a hand mixer to mix the cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
2. Add 1 cup (120 g) of the confectioners’ sugar and mix again until smooth. If the mixture is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar until the desired consistency is reached.
3. Once the bars are cool, top them with the glaze; spread to the edges.

Note: The pie bars are best eaten the same day they are made but can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.