It's been a shit year and now there are just SO many things to yell at each other about at the Thanksgiving table! From climate change to the demagogue dude that just won the election, there's sure to be chaos throughout the dining rooms of Americans everywhere. Oh joy.

Bring some lightness into it, maybe, with salty honey pie to let everyone know how you're feeling (read: salty). For starters, you can write whatever you want on top, so, maybe "F&%$ You Aunt Becca" could allow you to get something off your chest. In addition, it's so damn sweet that after everyone has gobbled up this delicious slab of love, they're going to immediately pass out from a sugar crash (caution: small slices, y'all, small slices) meaning less time for arguing and more time for napping.

This particular pie recipe comes from Brooklyn-based pie shop Four & Twenty Blackbirds, but we really got inspired to make it after seeing both Michelle and Joy had posted about it in the last few years. You've got to be a real fan of honey to eat this thing. Like, it's a honey pie. It honestly may sound gross (and if you're nodding your head in agreement right now, plz stop) but it is so effing good. It's got this velvety custard-like texture and density, and this super super sweet flavor of honey, all contrasted with a flaky crust (we used a gluten free store bought crust from Whole Foods because Beau's family is gluten free and we're not about to figure out gluten free crusts, sorrrrry). It's damn good, especially with a side of coffee.

Our favorite bearded syrup-slinger, Casey, over at Bushwick Kitchen sent us a care package of assorted honeys and syrups, including his honey trio gift set that has him first in line of potential third boyfriends. We used the salted honey in this recipe and, honestly, we could go on and on and say it's amazing and all that but you get it, it's the bomb.

Check out the full recipe below and have a happy happy salty Thanksgiving!

Salty Honey Pie from Four & Twenty Blackbirds

makes 1 pie

1 frozen store-bought pie crust (or check out this crust recipe from Michelle!)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fine-ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt*
3/4 cup honey (we used Bushwick Kitchen Salted Honey)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Place a rack in the middle position of your oven and preheat that sucker to 375 degrees.
This recipe can be done in basically one bowl, so go ahead and pick out a nice large mixing bowl and toss in your sugar, melted butter, cornmeal, vanilla extract, and kosher salt (if not using pre-salted honey).
Whisk in your honey and then the eggs, one at a time, waiting until each egg is fully incorporated to add in the next. Now whisk in your heavy cream and white vinegar until fully incorporated.
Place your frozen pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet and strain the filling we just made into the pie shell (see photos above). Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the pie for 30 minutes before rotating 180 degrees and baking for another 15 - 20 minutes. The top will be a dark golden brown and slightly puffed up. The edges should be firm, while the center jiggles like gelatin.*
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. You can serve it slightly warm but if it's not yet set it'll be a little sloppy, but hey, you do you. This pie can also be served chilled out of the fridge.
We topped ours with powdered sugar, flaky sea salt, and fresh whipped cream.
To create the stripe in the middle, we got real weird and used a rectangular cut out from a rice paper spring roll wrapper that we wet slightly. You could also use a parchment paper cut out to create any shape you want. We then sifted powdered sugar on top and removed the rice paper to reveal a big stripe in the middle. We used cookie cutter letters to give us our lettering outline, and then piped little whipped cream stars into the shape with a #32 icing tip.

Notes

*If using the Bushwick Kitchen Salted Honey, you can leave out the 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

'Salty' Honey Pie