Sugar Pie from Hauts-de-France
The Sugar Pie from Hauts-de-France is an iconic dessert that can be found in any Northern brasserie and bakery. The authentic recipes call for the use of real vergeoise (beet brown sugar), though regular brown sugar will work well too. The Great Lille Braderie is just a few days away! This centuries-old street market is the largest one in Europe, and a time of festivities for locals and visitors. Over 2 days, the city center fills with thousands of vendors and millions of curious gawkers hoping to find antique gems…
- Prep time
- 3 hr
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- For the brioche:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 tsp (10g) dry yeast
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (50g) white sugar
- 1/4 cup (55g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (115 ml) milk (2%)
- 1 pinch of salt
- For topping:
- ¾ cup (125g) Vergeoise (or regular brown sugar)
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp (30ml) heavy cream
- 3 tbsp (45g) butter
- butter (at room temperature)
Instructions
- 1
In a small sauce pan, warm up the milk (just warm, not hot) and add in 1 tablespoon of sugar and the dry yeast. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
- 2
In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, the rest of the sugar, the butter and the egg. Add in the milk mixture, and mix with your hands until you can shape the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let rise for 1hr30min.
- 3
Spread the dough on a working surface and place it in a greased pie plate. Let rise again for 1 hour.
- 4
Preheat your oven to 370°F (190C)
- 5
Poke the dough several times with a fork. Sprinkle the vergeoise (or brown sugar) on top. Mix together the egg yolk and the cream, and pour the mixture on top. Cut the butter in tiny cubes and sprinkle them on top as well.
- 6
Bake for 30 minutes, until the pie is golden and the edges look caramelized.