Baked Chess Pie Made Easy.

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  • Course:
  • Cuisine
  • Prep time: minutes
  • Cook time: minutes
  • Total time: minutes
SERVES 8
  • 2 eggs
  • 45ml/3 tablespoon whipping cream
  • 115g/4oz/½ cup soft dark brown sugar
  • 30ml/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 30ml/2 tablespoon plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 15ml/1 tablespoon whisky
  • 40g/1½oz/3 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 50g/2oz/½ cup chopped walnuts
  • 75g/3oz/½ cup pitted dates, chopped
  • Whipped cream, for serving
FOR THE PASTRY
  • 75g/3oz/6 tablespoon cold butter
  • 40g/1½oz/3 tablespoon cold vegetable fat
  • 175g/6oz/1½ cups plain flour
  • 2.5ml/½ tsp salt
  • 45-60ml/3-4 tablespoon iced water.

STEPS:

  1. For the pastry, cut the butter and fat into small pieces.
  2. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter and fat until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in just enough water to bind. Gather into a ball, wrap in baking parchment and chill for at least 20 minutes.
  3. Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat it to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
  4. Roll out the dough thinly and line a 23cm/9in pie tin (pan). Trim the edge. Roll out the trimmings, cut thin strips and braid them. Brush the edge of the pastry case (pie shell) with water and fit the pastry braids around the rim.
  5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream.
  6. Add both sugars and beat until well combined. Sift over 15ml/1 tablespoon of the flour and stir in. Add the whisky, the melted butter and the walnuts. Stir to combine.
  7. Mix the dates with the remaining flour and stir into the walnut mixture.
  8. Pour into the pastry case and bake until the pastry is golden and the filling puffed up, about 35 minutes. Serve at room temperature, with whipped cream, if you like.