*For a 9-inch pie plate

This pie is slightly grainy and always served with the cream.

For Crust: Mix flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter and shortening until it looks like flaky meal. Sprinkle in ice water. Work into a ball that cleans the sides of the mixing bowl. (To mix in a food processor, place dry ingredients in a work bowl, top with pieces of cold butter and shortening, and pulse until mealy. With machine running, pour in the ice water all at once. When dough forms a ball that knocks around the sides of the bowl, stop machine immediately.)

Flatten dough into a disk, wrap with plastic film, and chill 30 minutes.

Roll dough into a circle 3 to 4 inches wider than pie plate, set in the plate, and trim with scissors so dough extends 3/4 inch beyond the rim. Fold the overhang under so it is even with plate's rim and crimp into large flutes. Chill 30 minutes, while you prepare the filling.

For Maple Filling: Preheat oven to 350F. Place the first five ingredients in a heavy saucepan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Beat the egg and add it to the mixture. Pour filling into chilled pie shell. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Slice and serve warm on plates with a thick layer of creme fraiche, or plain cream, poured over and down the sides of each wedge.

For Creme Fraiche: Put 1 cup cream in a jar with a lid. Add 1 tablespoon buttermilk. Screw on the lid and leave the jar at room temperature for 24 hours. Then chill the thickened cream. The cream should thicken. If it doesn't, your room may have been too chilly. In this case, add a little more buttermilk and set jar in a slightly warmer spot.

Quick Creme Fraiche: Use 3 parts heavy cream to 1 part sour cream. Whip 1 1/2 cups cream with 1/2 cup sour cream just until beaters make a wake in the cream and soft peaks form.

from Gooey Desserts by Elaine Corn typed by Tiffany Hall-Graham

18:59:42 Gmt