Salted Honey Pie

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 3-4 tablespoons ice water
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour, or 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup honey
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream, heavy cream, or crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Flaky sea salt, to finish the pie

Directions

1. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to your stand mixer bowl, with the paddle attachment on. If you are not using the mixer, make it in a bowl with a pastry blender, or use a food processor.
2. Drop in the cubed butter and mix on medium speed until you have small bits of butter, about corn-kernel size. Pour in 3 tablespoons of ice water and switch to low speed, mixing just until the dough starts to gather; if it still looks dry, add the final tablespoon of ice water.
3. Turn off the mixer, bring the dough together with your hands, and pat it into a disk. Cover it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
4. Dust your counter lightly with flour, then roll the dough out to a 14-inch (35cm) circle. Move it into a 9-inch (23cm) pie dish or pan, settling it in without stretching. Trim the excess so about an inch (2.5cm) extends past the edge, tuck that extra dough beneath the rim, and crimp it. Slide the shaped crust back into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until it feels firm.
5. Heat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Fit foil into the pie shell, pour in pie weights, and bake until the edge has started to set and the pastry is lightly golden. Lift out the foil and weights, then bake again until the crust is a very pale golden brown. If the dough balloons while it is in the oven, coax it back down by pricking it a few times with a fork and tapping it gently with a spatula. Keep it well shy of dark brown. Move the pie shell to a wire rack and turn the oven down to 350ºF (175ºC).
6. For the filling, use a medium bowl to whisk the melted butter into the sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and honey. Whisk in the eggs separately, then stir in the sour cream and vinegar. Pour and scrape the filling into the blind-baked shell. Bake 45 to 50 minutes; the edges should be browned and the middle should be nearly set. You want a soft wobble, not a watery center. If the crust edges begin getting too dark while the pie bakes, protect them with foil.
7. Let the pie come to room temperature on a wire rack. Finish with flaky sea salt before you serve it.