Brunost Cream Pie (brunostkrem-pai)

Brunost Cream Pie (brunostkrem-pai)

Makes one 9-inch / 23 cm pie

For the pie crust:

2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup (224 g) cold butter, cut into small cubes

4 Tbsp. ice water, plus more as needed

 

For the brunost filling:

4 large egg yolks

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

4 Tbsp. corn starch

3 cups (720 ml) whole milk

1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract

5.3 ounces (150 g) Ski Queen®/Gudbrandsdalen brunost, sliced or grated

 

For the whipped cream:

2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

 

To make the pie crust, combine the flour, sugar and sea salt together in a large, wide bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or knife. Gradually add in the cold water, adding a little more if necessary, until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (You can make 2 pie crusts out of the recipe, but I prefer having more dough to work with for a thicker crust with edges that won’t shrink into the pie as it bakes. Feel free to divide the dough in half, cover in plastic wrap, and freeze one for a later use.)

Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough larger than the pie dish. Carefully place the dough in the pie dish with the excess hanging over the sides. Using a small sharp knife, trim the dough to equal about a 1-inch (2.54 cm) overhang then fold it under and crimp the edges with your fingers. Chill the prepared pie crust in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

To blind bake the crust, prick the bottom with a fork, then line with parchment paper and add baking weights on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Remove the baking weights and parchment paper and let cool to room temperature.

Prepare the brunost custard by whisking the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl then adding in the cornstarch. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and scraped vanilla beans or vanilla extract over low heat just before it begins to simmer. Steadily and slowly, pour a little of the warm milk into the sugar mixture, whisking constantly to avoid any curdling of the eggs, until you have added all the milk. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, add the slices of brunost and cook over medium heat until the brunost has melted and the custard has thickened considerably, about 5 to 8 minutes. Pour the warm custard into the cooled, baked pie crust. Smooth the top with a spatula and cover with plastic wrap, pressing down gently to prevent a crust from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to set.

When ready to serve, prepare the whipped cream. In a large bowl, or the stand mixer, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Cover the pie with the whipped cream, either by spreading it with a spatula or with a piping bag for a more decorative look.

Sprinkle with finely grated brunost on top and serve chilled.

This recipe is from Nevada Berg’s blog, North Wild Kitchen, where you can read more about the origins of brunost, brown whey cheese.