Sasha's Kitchen: Momofuku Milk Bar's 'Crack' Pie

The following recipe is part of the Momofuku (David Chang) craze that has taken New York by storm.  I love the desserts at Momofuku Milk Bar.  Those of you who are familiar with Momofuku may already know about their famous Milk Bar "Crack" Pies that sell like hotcakes for $40 a pie.  The crack pies (which don't contain any crack at all, obviously) are pies made of an oatmeal cookie crust with a gooey butter & milk filling.  I was so happy with how mine came out using the actual Momofuku recipe from the Los Angeles Times adaptation.  In fact, I couldn't taste the difference between mine and the Milk Bar version at Momofuku in NYC.  So, if you are craving Momofuku Milk Bar, without further ado, here's how to make their famous "Crack" Pie.  It wasn't as complicated as it sounds from the recipe, I swear.  Actually, it was as easy as - well - pie.  It's a bit on the unhealthy side (all that butter) but oh so good as a special treat.  The recipe makes two eight inch pies so you have one to share with friends.  If you only want one, feel free to do the math and cut the recipe in half.

Momofuku Milk Bar Crack Pie (adapted from this recipe)

Cookie for Crust
2/3 cup plus 1 T flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder (scant)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda (scant)
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter (softened)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup rolled oats (scant)

Crust
crumbed cookie (above)
1/2 stick butter (melted)
1 1/2 T brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt

Filling
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp dry milk powder
2 sticks butter (melted)

First, prepare the cookie.  Preheat the oven to 375 and combine the dry ingredients.  Beat the butter brown sugar and sugar in the basin of a stand mixer until light and fluffy.  Whisk in the egg, and beat in the dry ingredients, before stirring in the oats.

Spread on a cookie sheet like one big giant cookie.  Bake until golden brown for about 20 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Once cooled, crumble by hand, or in a food processor.  I was lazy and used my food processor.  Mix the crumble with the melted butter, brown sugar and salt in step two to make the crust.  Spray two eight inch pie dishes with PAM and press the crust into each shell to form a conventional pie crust.  Set the shells aside while you prepare the filling.

Heat the oven to 350.  Combine the brown sugar, salt and milk powder.  Whisk in the melted butte,r heavy cream and vanilla.  Gently whisk in the egg yolks.  Divide the mixture and use to fill the two shells.  Bake the shells for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 and then at 325 for another 10 minutes.  Remove the pies to cool on a rack when they are only slightly "jiggy" and are golden brown.  Refridgerate until chilled and dust with powdered sugar.  Serve chilled.  Yum!