Celebrate Pi Day, with a slice!

Sugar Cream Pie or Hoosier Pie or Indiana Sugar Cream Pie is the unofficial state pie of Indiana; however, we still like to celebrate. Native Hoosiers believe the Quaker settlers in the early 19^th century selected east-central Indiana, close to my home around the cities of New Castle, Portland, Richmond, and Winchester.

The Amish are also known for having the honor of delivering a delectable dessert. Here is my family recipe…just in case you want to celebrate Sugar Cream Pie Day on March 14.

For the Crust:

2 ½ cups wheat or all-purpose flour (wheat has more fiber & healthier)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Or in my recent world buy a store-bought pie crust.

Ingredients for the pie:

⅓ cup wheat or all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup whole milk or low fat but it won’t taste the same

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Make the crust: Whisk flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add butter: quickly cut in with a pastry blender or I use two knives or my fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal, with some larger pieces remaining. Drizzle 1/4 cup water over mixture and mix with a fork until mixture just begins to hold together. If dough is too dry, add 1/4 cup more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
2. Divide dough in half onto two pieces of plastic wrap. Gather into two balls, wrap loosely in plastic, and press each into a disk using a rolling pin. Refrigerate until firm, well wrapped in plastic, 1 hour or up to 1 day. Dough can be frozen up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator before using.
3. Make the pie: On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 ball to a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie dish and press into bottom edges and up the sides. Trim edge, leaving a 1-inch overhang; fold edge under and crimp as desired. Freeze 15 minutes or chill in fridge for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with the rack located in the lower third. Line crust with parchment paper, gently pressing the parchment into the edges of the crust; weigh down parchment with dried beans or pie weights. Important so the crust doesn’t bubble.
5. Bake until the edges of the pastry begin to turn golden, about 25 minutes. Carefully remove pie weights and parchment paper, use fork to pierce and prevent bubbles. Continue to bake until crust is golden brown in color, about 15-20 minutes more. Transfer the crust to a wire rack to cool slightly.
6. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and cook, whisking, over medium heat for 2 minutes. Do not let get dark. Whisk in milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Strain mixture into cooled crust and bake until filling is slightly set, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Enjoy this taste of Indiana.