Get Things Crackin' with this Pie!

Crack Pie with Speculoos

INGREDIENTS

Oat cookie for crust

• 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup rolled oats

Crust

• Crumbled oat cookie
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), plus a possible 2 extra tablespoons
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup Nonfat Dry Milk
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 cup Speculoos Cookie Butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 egg yolks
• Powdered sugar, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

For the oat cookie for crust

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. 
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In another large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy. 
4. On low speed, add the egg until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.
5. With the mixer running on low, add in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until well combined. Stir in the oats until fully incorporated.
6. Spread the cookie batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (or use a silicone mat on your baking sheet) and bake until the cookie is golden brown, about 20 minutes. 
7. Remove from the oven and let cool to the touch. 
8. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.

For the crust

1. Combine the crumbled cookie, 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined. When a little bit of the mixture is clumped between your fingers, it should hold together. If it doesn’t, add another 2 tablespoons of butter.
2. Divide the crust between two 9-inch or 10-inch pie tins. Starting with the sides, press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins. 
3. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.

For the filling

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine together the sugar, light brown sugar, dry milk and salt. 
3. On low speed, add in the Speculoos, butter, cream, and vanilla. Once fully incorporated, add the egg yolks and combine on low speed. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure mixture is evenly combined.
4. Divide the mixture between the two pie crusts and bake for 15 minutes. 
5. Reduce the temperature to 325° and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the center is golden brown and a bit jiggly.
6. Remove from the oven keeping the Crack Pie in their pie pans, completely cool on a baking rack and then transfer to the refrigerator until well-chilled. 
7. Once they are well-chilled, you can remove from pie pans. C
8. When ready to serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

*Stores well in the refrigerator for several days.

Go Bananas for Speculoos

Speculoos Banana Bread

For The Bread

• 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
• ½ cup of your Speculoos cookie butter
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar

For The Optional Streusel

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter, slightly softened and cut into pieces

Make The Bread

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). 
2. Line an 8x4 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both sides to act as "handles". Grease parchment paper and set aside. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, stir together your mashed bananas, speculoos spread, canola oil, egg, vanilla, and sugars.
5. Add the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Don't overmix! Batter will be slightly lumpy. 
6. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Make The Streusel

1. In a small bowl, combine all streusel ingredients. Using a fork, cut the butter evenly into the dry ingredients. 
2. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the unbaked loaf.
3. Bake bread for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown before the bread is done baking, place aluminum foil loosely over the bread and finish baking.
4. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. 
5. Loosen the edges of the pan with a knife and using the parchment "handles" life the bread and remove from the loaf pan. 
6. Transfer bread to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.