Foodies are falling in love with crack pie

GALVESTON — Thanks to cooking shows and food blogs, it doesn’t take long for a new recipe to ricochet from kitchen to kitchen. One of the fastest to catch fire has been the sweet, gooey concoction called crack pie.

Reports vary on whether the pie got its name from the cracks that may form in its surface or because it may be instantly addictive.

Crack pie made its way from one quirky Manhattan restaurant to home kitchens and bakeries across the country with the help of a few well-placed fans, including CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who sang its praises on television.

Not long after Cooper joked that not only was he addicted to crack pie but had led his mother down the same path, Galveston caterer and baker Judy Elmendorf added it to the lineup at her restaurant, Chopin Mon Ami.

“We serve a lot of it,” Elmendorf said. “People may order their first slice out of curiosity, but once they taste it, they definitely want more.”

Elmendorf noted that part of the appeal of the pie is its cookie crust.

“You make the crust out of a big oatmeal cookie, which you crush up, sort of like a graham cracker crust, only sweeter,” she said.

With multiple sticks of butter, heavy cream and egg yolks, crack pie isn’t health food.

“We have it available as a whole pie, but we tend to sell more of it just one piece at a time,” Elmendorf said.

Like many cooks, Elmendorf first heard of crack pie on television.

“They served it to the audience on some talk show, and the audience loved it,” she said. “I looked it up and did a little research and added it to our menu soon after that.”

While Elmendorf’s bakery is quick to add new items like crack pie, she actively is recreating old favorites as well.

“The pie isn’t nearly as popular yet as our Coca-Cola cake,” she said.

Bringing back local favorites currently is Elmendorf’s quest.

“We’re working with Oscar Ekelund to come up with some of the cookies and desserts that were sold at G & G Bakery for years,” she said. “Not everyone remembers this, but Oscar was a baker at G & G before he went into law enforcement.”

Ekelund has brought back a version of G & G’s pineapple fingers, which Chopin Mon Ami sells as “pineapple jewels,” and he is working on authentic versions of G & G’s éclairs, tea cakes and sand tarts.

“People have missed these items for years, and there just hasn’t been anything quite like them available. We hope to have them in our cases soon,” Elmendorf said.

Then, the classics from Galveston’s past will share shelf space with crack pie, the dessert of the moment in Manhattan.

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Crack Pie

Cookie For Crust

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (3 ounces) flour Scant* 1/8 teaspoon baking powder Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter 1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar 3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) sugar 1 egg Scant 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) rolled oats

* "Scant" means not up to full measure. For example, fill the measuring spoon to barely full instead of filling it and leveling it off at the top.

For The Crust

Cooled oatmeal cookie, crumbled 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) brown sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt

For The Filling

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar 3/4 cup plus a scant 3 tablespoons (7 ounces) light brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon (3/4 ounce) milk powder 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted 3/4 cup plus a scant 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 8 egg yolks 2 prepared crusts Powdered sugar, garnish

Making The Cookie For The Crust

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy.

Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.

With the mixer running, beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully combined. Stir in the oats until incorporated.

Spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.

Making The Crust

Combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended (a little of the mixture clumped between your fingers should hold together). Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. Press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.

Making The Filling

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and milk powder. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla.

Gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air.

Divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells.

Bake the pies for 15 minutes then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake until the filling is almost set and golden brown (similar to a pecan pie), about 10 minutes for large pans and 20 minutes, or more, for 9-inch pans. Remove the pies and cool.

Refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled. The pies are meant to be served cold, and the filling will be gooey. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Each of 16 servings: 432 calories; 4 grams protein; 45 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 27 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 187 mg. cholesterol; 36 grams sugar; 125 mg. sodium.

— Recipe from Chowhound