Monday Desserts
I'm back, after a two-week hiatus. Hope you're ready for more Desserts. Today's offerings include Crème Brûlée Pie and a vegan Orange Saffron Bread Pudding. Enjoy!
MASCARPONE BERRY BOWL
This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.
Active Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/mascarpone-berry-bowl-12343050.
Ingredients
1 cup mixed berries, such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries
1 lemon, zested and juiced
5 tablespoons honey
One 8-ounce container mascarpone
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Splash of vanilla extract
Fresh mint leaves, for serving
Biscotti, for serving
Directions
Mix the berries, lemon zest and juice and 2 tablespoons of the honey in a bowl; set aside.
In a separate bowl, add the mascarpone, heavy cream, vanilla and remaining 3 tablespoons honey. Using a hand mixer, whip together until light and fluffy.
Divide the sweetened mascarpone among 4 serving bowls. Use the bottom of a spoon to create a well in the middle of each mascarpone mound. Spoon the berry mixture into each well. Garnish with a sprig of mint on top of the berries and a biscotti on the side.
ORANGE SAFFRON BREAD PUDDING [VEGAN]
This is from Elaine Skiadas at One Green Planet. The recipe begins, "The flavors in this bread pudding are so special and unique that it’s one of my all-time favorite desserts. Almost like a sweet stuffing, leftover bread soaks up a saffron-spiked coconut custard laced with orange zest, vanilla and warming spices. Every bite is soft and gooey with a little crunch from the golden-brown top. Perfect for the holidays or another special occasion where you’re aiming to impress. If possible, use a loaf of high-quality vegan white sandwich bread that’s free of any preservatives and hasn’t been presliced. A local bakery or the bakery section of a grocery store is your best bet. Credit: Reprinted with permission from Fantastic Vegan Recipes for the Teen Cook by Elaine Skiadas. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Elaine Skiadas."
Serves 6
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/orange-saffron-bread-pudding-vegan/.
Ingredients
2 (13.5-oz) cans full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 cup blanched almond flour
10 saffron threads
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 loaf day-old vegan bread, cut into 1" cubes (see Tip)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup melted vegan butter, divided
Whipped coconut cream, for serving
Orange marmalade for serving (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a saucepan, heat the coconut milk and sugar over medium heat. Once the coconut milk has melted, whisk in the almond flour until smooth. Bring to a simmer, then take the pot off the heat.
Place the saffron threads in a small bowl and use the back of a spoon to crush them into a fine powder. You can also use a mortar and pestle if you have it. Stir in a few spoonfuls of the warm coconut milk and set the saffron aside to steep until it turns bright yellow.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the saffron mixture into the saucepan (get every last drop!) along with the orange zest and juice, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Place the cubed bread and raisins in a casserole dish or Dutch oven and pour the liquid on top. Gently toss until all the bread is soaked through, then press everything into a packed, even layer. Drizzle with the melted vegan butter, reserving 1 tablespoon for serving.
Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and warm to the touch. Remove from the oven, pour the remaining vegan butter over all and let cool for 15 minutes before serving with dollops of whipped cream and orange marmalade, if desired.
Notes
Tip: To ensure the bread absorbs as much avor as possible, I like to spread out the cubes on a sheet pan and leave them to dry out on the counter for several hours or overnight.
CHERRY-GO-ROUND
This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).
Yield: 2 rings
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 envelope FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 large egg
Cherry Filling (recipe follows)
Powdered Sugar Glaze (recipe follows)
Directions
In a large bowl, combine 1-1/3 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.
Add egg and 1/2 cup flour. Beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Cover tightly with greased plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
Remove dough from refrigerator; divide into 2 equal portions. On lightly floured surface, roll each to 18 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread Cherry Filling evenly over each rectangle to within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll up tightly from long sides as for jelly roll. Pinch seams to seal; shape into rings. Place on greased baking sheets. Cut 2/3 through rings at 1-inch intervals. Twist each section sideways. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Remove from sheets; cool on wire rack. Drizzle with Powdered Sugar Glaze.
Cherry Filling:
Combine 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Stir to blend. Add 1 (14.5-ounce) can red tart pitted cherries, drained.
Powdered Sugar Glaze:
In small bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted, and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. Stir until smooth.
YOGURT CUSTARD PIE
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Yields: 8 Slices. It begins, “This quick and easy recipe is a great one to make with your children. With only a handful of ingredients, and very little preparation, this is a pie that everyone is sure to enjoy.”
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peaches, sliced
1/2 cup cherries, pitted, chopped
1 - 9 inch pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs until well blended & whisk in yogurt & sugar. Stir peaches & cherries (or any other of your favorite fruits) into mixture & pour into pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard sets around the edge. The inner 2-3 inches should still remain somewhat soft. Chill, slice and serve.
PUMPKIN FLAN WITH MAPLE CARAMEL
This yumminess comes from The Barefoot Contessa (otherwise known as Ina Garten). Serves 8 - 10; level: beginner
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
for the caramel:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup pure Grade A maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
for the pumpkin flan:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Italian mascarpone
4 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure maple extract, such as Boyajian
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the caramel, combine the sugar, maple syrup, and 1/3 cup water in a small, deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan (don’t stir!) to dissolve the sugar. Cook at a low boil without stirring for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden brown and registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn! Off the heat, swirl in the fleur de sel, and immediately pour into an 8 × 2-inch round cake pan (not a springform!). Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned pumpkin, and mascarpone in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, maple extract, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan with the caramel so they don’t combine.
Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat and fill the roasting pan with enough of the hottest tap water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes, until the custard is just set. It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Don’t tilt the pan or the caramel will run out!
Run a small knife around the edge of the flan. Turn a flat serving plate with a slight lip over the cake pan and flip them, turning the flan out onto the plate. The caramel should run out over the flan. Cut into wedges and serve with the caramel spooned over each slice.
CREME BRULEE PIE
This comes from Jerrelle Guy on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Jerrelle wrote, “This crowd-pleasing dessert imitates the velvety custard and caramelized sugar shell of a crème brûlée, with the added bonus of a flaky crust. A food processor makes easy work of the all-butter pie shell, which can be chilled, then baked, a day in advance. Unlike traditional crème brûlée, there’s no need to simmer the cream on a stovetop or use a blow torch, ramekins or water bath to pull this dessert together. The filling is simply blended together, baked in the pie shell, then chilled. Broil the pie just before serving to achieve that characteristic crackle on top.”
Time: 3 hours, plus chilling; Yield: One 9-inch pie (about 8 servings).
This can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020556-creme-brulee-pie
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks), cubed and chilled
7 to 9 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling:
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1-1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Preparation
Prepare the crust: In a food processor, blend the flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt on high for 5 seconds to combine. Open the lid and scatter the cubes of butter evenly across the top, reattach the lid, and pulse until the butter is about the size of peas or a little larger. Drizzle in 5 tablespoons of the water through the lid while continuing to pulse. If the mixture is still dry, drizzle in more water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time and stopping once the dough is properly moist. Check as you go by pinching the mixture between your fingertips: It should look crumbly but it should hold together when you squeeze it. You should be able to compress it without it sticking too much to your fingers.
Set a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface and dump the dough into the center of it. Wrap it up tightly and compress the dough into a flat, smooth disk. Refrigerate the disk at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.
Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured work surface, quickly roll the dough out into an even 13-inch round, making sure to occasionally turn, flip and lightly dust the dough and rolling pin as you go. Carefully transfer the crust to a 9-inch glass pie plate, making sure not to stretch it as you nestle it into the corners of the plate.
Using scissors, trim away the rough edges of the dough and tuck the remaining overhang under itself to create a thicker edge that rests on the rim of the pan. Crimp the edges using your fingertips or the tines of a fork, then place the entire plate in the freezer for another 30 minutes to harden.
Heat the oven to 425 degrees and position a rack in the center of the oven. Remove the crust from the freezer and place a sheet of parchment on top of the pie crust, making sure it extends far beyond the edges of the pie, and top the paper with pie weights or uncooked beans. Bake for 30 minutes before removing the weights and parchment, and then bake for another 12 to 15 minutes until the bottom is light golden brown. Transfer the pie crust in its pie plate to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
While the pie crust cools, heat the oven to 300 degrees and prepare the filling: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, egg yolks, vanilla bean paste, salt and nutmeg, and beat on high speed for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through. The mixture will be very pale and have a marshmallow-like consistency. Reduce the speed to medium, and with the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream, beating until completely combined.
Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake until the pie is set around the edges and jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 20 minutes before placing in the fridge, uncovered, to chill overnight (or at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days).
When ready to serve, heat the oven to broil and place a rack 3 to 4 inches away from the heat source. Remove the pie from the fridge and using a sheet of aluminum foil and a pair of scissors, cut a hole out of the center of the foil to create a frame that will expose the filling of the pie but covers the crust. Secure it firmly so it’s hugging the crust and sides of the plate. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar over the filling, and place the pie directly under the broiler for 3 to 6 minutes, watching closely and rotating the pan and foil as needed, until the sugar begins to bubble and burn all over.
Remove from the oven, allow 3 to 5 minutes to cool so the sugar can harden, then gently tap the surface with a knife to break up the sheet of sugar around the areas you intend to cut. Slice and serve immediately, before the sugar softens.
MASCARPONE BERRY BOWL
This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.
Active Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 2 to 4 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/mascarpone-berry-bowl-12343050.
Ingredients
1 cup mixed berries, such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries
1 lemon, zested and juiced
5 tablespoons honey
One 8-ounce container mascarpone
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Splash of vanilla extract
Fresh mint leaves, for serving
Biscotti, for serving
Directions
Mix the berries, lemon zest and juice and 2 tablespoons of the honey in a bowl; set aside.
In a separate bowl, add the mascarpone, heavy cream, vanilla and remaining 3 tablespoons honey. Using a hand mixer, whip together until light and fluffy.
Divide the sweetened mascarpone among 4 serving bowls. Use the bottom of a spoon to create a well in the middle of each mascarpone mound. Spoon the berry mixture into each well. Garnish with a sprig of mint on top of the berries and a biscotti on the side.
ORANGE SAFFRON BREAD PUDDING [VEGAN]
This is from Elaine Skiadas at One Green Planet. The recipe begins, "The flavors in this bread pudding are so special and unique that it’s one of my all-time favorite desserts. Almost like a sweet stuffing, leftover bread soaks up a saffron-spiked coconut custard laced with orange zest, vanilla and warming spices. Every bite is soft and gooey with a little crunch from the golden-brown top. Perfect for the holidays or another special occasion where you’re aiming to impress. If possible, use a loaf of high-quality vegan white sandwich bread that’s free of any preservatives and hasn’t been presliced. A local bakery or the bakery section of a grocery store is your best bet. Credit: Reprinted with permission from Fantastic Vegan Recipes for the Teen Cook by Elaine Skiadas. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Elaine Skiadas."
Serves 6
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/orange-saffron-bread-pudding-vegan/.
Ingredients
2 (13.5-oz) cans full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 cup blanched almond flour
10 saffron threads
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 loaf day-old vegan bread, cut into 1" cubes (see Tip)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup melted vegan butter, divided
Whipped coconut cream, for serving
Orange marmalade for serving (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a saucepan, heat the coconut milk and sugar over medium heat. Once the coconut milk has melted, whisk in the almond flour until smooth. Bring to a simmer, then take the pot off the heat.
Place the saffron threads in a small bowl and use the back of a spoon to crush them into a fine powder. You can also use a mortar and pestle if you have it. Stir in a few spoonfuls of the warm coconut milk and set the saffron aside to steep until it turns bright yellow.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the saffron mixture into the saucepan (get every last drop!) along with the orange zest and juice, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Place the cubed bread and raisins in a casserole dish or Dutch oven and pour the liquid on top. Gently toss until all the bread is soaked through, then press everything into a packed, even layer. Drizzle with the melted vegan butter, reserving 1 tablespoon for serving.
Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and warm to the touch. Remove from the oven, pour the remaining vegan butter over all and let cool for 15 minutes before serving with dollops of whipped cream and orange marmalade, if desired.
Notes
Tip: To ensure the bread absorbs as much avor as possible, I like to spread out the cubes on a sheet pan and leave them to dry out on the counter for several hours or overnight.
CHERRY-GO-ROUND
This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).
Yield: 2 rings
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 envelope FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 large egg
Cherry Filling (recipe follows)
Powdered Sugar Glaze (recipe follows)
Directions
In a large bowl, combine 1-1/3 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.
Add egg and 1/2 cup flour. Beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Cover tightly with greased plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
Remove dough from refrigerator; divide into 2 equal portions. On lightly floured surface, roll each to 18 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread Cherry Filling evenly over each rectangle to within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll up tightly from long sides as for jelly roll. Pinch seams to seal; shape into rings. Place on greased baking sheets. Cut 2/3 through rings at 1-inch intervals. Twist each section sideways. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Remove from sheets; cool on wire rack. Drizzle with Powdered Sugar Glaze.
Cherry Filling:
Combine 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Stir to blend. Add 1 (14.5-ounce) can red tart pitted cherries, drained.
Powdered Sugar Glaze:
In small bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted, and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. Stir until smooth.
YOGURT CUSTARD PIE
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Yields: 8 Slices. It begins, “This quick and easy recipe is a great one to make with your children. With only a handful of ingredients, and very little preparation, this is a pie that everyone is sure to enjoy.”
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peaches, sliced
1/2 cup cherries, pitted, chopped
1 - 9 inch pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs until well blended & whisk in yogurt & sugar. Stir peaches & cherries (or any other of your favorite fruits) into mixture & pour into pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard sets around the edge. The inner 2-3 inches should still remain somewhat soft. Chill, slice and serve.
PUMPKIN FLAN WITH MAPLE CARAMEL
This yumminess comes from The Barefoot Contessa (otherwise known as Ina Garten). Serves 8 - 10; level: beginner
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
for the caramel:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup pure Grade A maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
for the pumpkin flan:
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Italian mascarpone
4 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure maple extract, such as Boyajian
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
For the caramel, combine the sugar, maple syrup, and 1/3 cup water in a small, deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan (don’t stir!) to dissolve the sugar. Cook at a low boil without stirring for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden brown and registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn! Off the heat, swirl in the fleur de sel, and immediately pour into an 8 × 2-inch round cake pan (not a springform!). Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned pumpkin, and mascarpone in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, maple extract, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan with the caramel so they don’t combine.
Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat and fill the roasting pan with enough of the hottest tap water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes, until the custard is just set. It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Don’t tilt the pan or the caramel will run out!
Run a small knife around the edge of the flan. Turn a flat serving plate with a slight lip over the cake pan and flip them, turning the flan out onto the plate. The caramel should run out over the flan. Cut into wedges and serve with the caramel spooned over each slice.
CREME BRULEE PIE
This comes from Jerrelle Guy on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Jerrelle wrote, “This crowd-pleasing dessert imitates the velvety custard and caramelized sugar shell of a crème brûlée, with the added bonus of a flaky crust. A food processor makes easy work of the all-butter pie shell, which can be chilled, then baked, a day in advance. Unlike traditional crème brûlée, there’s no need to simmer the cream on a stovetop or use a blow torch, ramekins or water bath to pull this dessert together. The filling is simply blended together, baked in the pie shell, then chilled. Broil the pie just before serving to achieve that characteristic crackle on top.”
Time: 3 hours, plus chilling; Yield: One 9-inch pie (about 8 servings).
This can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020556-creme-brulee-pie
Ingredients
For the Crust:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks), cubed and chilled
7 to 9 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling:
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1-1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Preparation
Prepare the crust: In a food processor, blend the flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt on high for 5 seconds to combine. Open the lid and scatter the cubes of butter evenly across the top, reattach the lid, and pulse until the butter is about the size of peas or a little larger. Drizzle in 5 tablespoons of the water through the lid while continuing to pulse. If the mixture is still dry, drizzle in more water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time and stopping once the dough is properly moist. Check as you go by pinching the mixture between your fingertips: It should look crumbly but it should hold together when you squeeze it. You should be able to compress it without it sticking too much to your fingers.
Set a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface and dump the dough into the center of it. Wrap it up tightly and compress the dough into a flat, smooth disk. Refrigerate the disk at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.
Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. On a lightly floured work surface, quickly roll the dough out into an even 13-inch round, making sure to occasionally turn, flip and lightly dust the dough and rolling pin as you go. Carefully transfer the crust to a 9-inch glass pie plate, making sure not to stretch it as you nestle it into the corners of the plate.
Using scissors, trim away the rough edges of the dough and tuck the remaining overhang under itself to create a thicker edge that rests on the rim of the pan. Crimp the edges using your fingertips or the tines of a fork, then place the entire plate in the freezer for another 30 minutes to harden.
Heat the oven to 425 degrees and position a rack in the center of the oven. Remove the crust from the freezer and place a sheet of parchment on top of the pie crust, making sure it extends far beyond the edges of the pie, and top the paper with pie weights or uncooked beans. Bake for 30 minutes before removing the weights and parchment, and then bake for another 12 to 15 minutes until the bottom is light golden brown. Transfer the pie crust in its pie plate to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
While the pie crust cools, heat the oven to 300 degrees and prepare the filling: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, egg yolks, vanilla bean paste, salt and nutmeg, and beat on high speed for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through. The mixture will be very pale and have a marshmallow-like consistency. Reduce the speed to medium, and with the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream, beating until completely combined.
Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake until the pie is set around the edges and jiggly in the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 20 minutes before placing in the fridge, uncovered, to chill overnight (or at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days).
When ready to serve, heat the oven to broil and place a rack 3 to 4 inches away from the heat source. Remove the pie from the fridge and using a sheet of aluminum foil and a pair of scissors, cut a hole out of the center of the foil to create a frame that will expose the filling of the pie but covers the crust. Secure it firmly so it’s hugging the crust and sides of the plate. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar over the filling, and place the pie directly under the broiler for 3 to 6 minutes, watching closely and rotating the pan and foil as needed, until the sugar begins to bubble and burn all over.
Remove from the oven, allow 3 to 5 minutes to cool so the sugar can harden, then gently tap the surface with a knife to break up the sheet of sugar around the areas you intend to cut. Slice and serve immediately, before the sugar softens.
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