Honey Walnut Pie

Did You Know? The sugar concentration in honey is so high that no bacteria can live in it. It has even been used in hospitals as a dressing for wounds, burns, and cuts.

My dad has been going to classes to become a bee keeper, so I wanted to make him this honey-rich dessert, courtesy of Martha Stewart. I can only imagine how much tastier it will be once we have honey straight from the bees in our backyard. It sounds like a strange thing to get into, but with 75% of our food coming from the honey bee, it's really an important hobby. So to see where his new fascination of all things bees came from, I came home from school on Thursday night to go to bee school with my dad, and it was so interesting. There's definately a lot of information thrown at you, all of which will be fun to share with you through my "Did You Know" section.

Now onto the pie. The crust definately makes it, so don't skimp on ingredients, and make sure to use a good pate brisee recipe (like the one below). Full of finely chopped walnuts, and sticky, sweet honey, this pie is like a giant piece of baklava. My parents loved the flavors immediately, but I found a refrigerated-slice the next morning to be much more enjoyable.

The orange zest was a little overpowering for me, so I might omit that the next time. My brother and I were brainstorming other ways I could take this dessert, and we both thought a little cinnamon would be nice. He also suggested some mini-chocolate chips or shaved chocolate if that's your preference. However you enjoy this, it's sure to please. It's not too sweet, which I love, and made for an excellent breakfast the day after. I'd love to hear any variations you might have in mind, so let me know. Enjoy!

Honey Walnut Pie
The original recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of orange zest. I might leave this out the next time, and also add some cinnamon.

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
Pate Brisee, Walnut Variation
4 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 lightly beaten egg for brushing
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
Fine sanding sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a 10-inch tart ring on a baking sheet lined with parchment; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick; cut into a 14-inch round. Fit into tart ring; trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Freeze while making filling.

Whisk together 4 eggs, the honey, granulated sugar, butter, orange zest and juice, salt, and flour in a large bowl. Stir in walnuts. Pour into tart shell.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into an 11-inch round. Cut 5 slits for vents. Drape over filling. Trim overhang to 1 inch; fold over bottom crust. Press edges to seal, and tuck into ring. Brush with remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Bake until a knife inserted in one of the vents comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely. Remove ring before serving. Can be stored, covered, overnight.

*I had mine both room temperature and refrigerated, and preferred the latter. The cold, buttery crust was perfect, and the filling got a chance to set up.