Name: Whiskey pies with butterscotch sauce
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300 ml freshly squeezed orange juice (from 3-4 oranges); 165 gm dried pitted dates; 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 175 gm brown sugar; 85 gm butter; 2 eggs; 170 gm plain flour, sieved; 2½ tsp baking powder; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; Butterscotch sauce; 90 gm caster sugar; 1½ tbsp light corn syrup (see note); 75 ml thickened cream; 50 gm butter, softened; Glazed pecans; 30 gm light corn syrup; 15 gm caster sugar; 80 gm pecan nuts; Whiskey glaze; 15 gm butter; 60 gm caster sugar; 30 ml whiskey; Sweet cream; 2 tsp whiskey; 250 ml (1 cup) thickened cream; 1½ tsp caster sugar

Whiskey pies with butterscotch sauce

A cracker recipe from Melbourne's Le Bon Ton.

Serves 4

Prep

1H 30M

Cook

45M

Total

2H 15M

This recipe is not for the faint-hearted. There’s an orange-date pudding brushed with a whisky glaze, a rich butterscotch sauce, sweet cream and the crunch of glazed pecans. A rich dessert best suited for cold nights.

Ingredients

300 ml freshly squeezed orange juice (from 3-4 oranges)

165 gm dried pitted dates

1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

175 gm brown sugar

85 gm butter

2 eggs

170 gm plain flour, sieved

2½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Butterscotch sauce

90 gm caster sugar

1½ tbsp light corn syrup (see note)

75 ml thickened cream

50 gm butter, softened

Glazed pecans

30 gm light corn syrup

15 gm caster sugar

80 gm pecan nuts

Whiskey glaze

15 gm butter

60 gm caster sugar

30 ml whiskey

Sweet cream

2 tsp whiskey

250 ml (1 cup) thickened cream

1½ tsp caster sugar

Method

Main

1.Bring juice and dates to the boil in a large saucepan. Slowly stir in bicarbonate soda, being careful as mixture will bubble up. Cook until slightly softened (2 minutes), then remove from heat and set aside to cool completely (40-50 minutes). Coarsely mash date mixture with a fork and set aside.

2.For butterscotch sauce, bring sugar and corn syrup to the boil in a saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, then simmer until amber in colour and syrup reaches 180C (5-7 minutes). Remove from heat, slowly add cream and butter (be careful, hot mixture may spit) and stir until combined, then set aside to cool completely (40-50 minutes).

3.For glazed pecans, preheat oven to 150C and line an oven tray with baking paper. Stir corn syrup, sugar and 1 tsp water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves (1-2 minutes). Add pecans, stir to coat, then transfer nuts to lined oven tray, separating each nut and bake, rotating tray once, until nuts are golden brown (7-9 minutes). Set aside to cool (10-15 minutes).

4.For whiskey glaze, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and a small pinch salt and 1 tsp water, stir, remove from heat and add whiskey.

5.Preheat oven at 150C and grease four 12cm-diameter metal pie tins. Beat brown sugar and butter in an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Add flour, baking powder and vanilla, and mix to combine, then stir in date mixture. Spoon mixture into pie tins to three-quarters full, smooth tops and bake until a skewer inserted withdraws clean (20-25 minutes). Brush glaze over pies while warm and set aside to cool (30-40 minutes).

6.For sweet cream, whisk ingredients in an electric mixer until stiff peaks form (2-3 minutes).

7.To serve, turn pies out, spoon cream on top, drizzle with butterscotch sauce and top with glazed pecans.

Note Light corn syrup is available from select supermarkets and delicatessens.
Notes

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

Styling by Aimee Jones

Styling by Nick Banbury