Foodie Sunday: French Canadian Maple Pie

By Beth I'm always looking for a wonderful autumn dessert and if it features maple syrup all the better.  This pie recipe is so easy, yet the complex and luscious flavor of it  left me completely speechless.  It has all of the qualities that I look for in a fall dessert. First of all said dessert must be completely buttery. Secondly, it has to be a bit toothsome, just a touch chewy so that the flavors linger on my lips for at least 5 minutes after I've finished it.  This French Canadian Maple pie is simply the best pie that I've ever tasted and nothing about it needs changing. The recipe below came from my facebook friend Margo who lives in Vermont, so of course she'd know a thing or two about maple syrup. The only sadness I have is that my father didn't live long enough for me to bake it for him. He loved all things maple and this would have rendered him speechless. Last week when I baked this for the first time I took it out of the oven and cut a small slice for my husband and one for myself. Jim took a bite and just shook his head and proceeded to inhale it. When we got home from the Pat Metheny concert we'd gone to, I looked in the refrigerator hoping to have another. The pie was completely gone. Well actually not completely, it was all gone except for one teensy slice that my son very generously left us. I must admit though, that  is the sort of thing that makes this mother very happy!  I must confess that I'm baking one right now  for a dear friend of mine and her husband  who are  coming for Sunday dinner.  It's amazing to me how 5 simple ingredients can meld together to create something so sublimely and intoxicatingly wonderful. The first time I  made this pie my kitchen began to  smell as if I'd spilled a bottle of syrup all over my woodstove...or like I'd stumbled into a steaming sugar house in February. I curled up in a cozy corner of my kitchen with a book, a steaming mug of tea and my cats and just took  in the aroma. Later when it had cooled for a few minutes (I couldn't be patient about it!) I cut into the rich filling while  it was still warm and the butter started oozing out. Adding a dollop of freshly whipped cream was a bit like gilding the lily, but in the most perfect way. I do think that ice cream would be too much….well maybe. A rich cinnamon ice cream? Hmmmm. Served with a hot cup of coffee with a bit of brandy?Yes! Just promise me that you'll bake this please because I know that you'll really enjoy it. Just a little bit of effort will create a picture perfect pie that your family and friends will adore.  My scent of the day? A combination of Serge Lutens luscious Chypre Rouge and Miel de Boise….Throughly lovely, spicy  and sweet…..I like to imagine that I smell a bit yummy just like this pie! FRENCH CANADIAN MAPLE PIE Ingredients:  One prepared pie crust to line an 8-inch glass pie plate 2 eggs, room temperature 1Ž2 c. heavy cream  1 2/3 c. packed brown sugar 1/3 real maple syrup (preferably dark amber) 2 tsp. unsalted butter, melted Method: Preheat oven to 350° F. Whisk together eggs and brown sugar until creamy. (I use electric beaters.) Add cream, maple syrup and melted butter. Beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake at 350° F oven for 55 – 60 minutes until crust is golden and filling still quivers. It will set as it cools. Very rich – serve with Cool Whip. Note: a larger pie pan will require partially baking the crust. To do that, line the crust with aluminum foil and weight it down with pie weights. Usually 400 degrees for 10 minutes will be enough.