I love making pie because, as a pie lover myself, there’s something truly magical about a flaky, buttery crust paired with a creamy custard filling. It’s always so satisfying to bite into the crust and feel the rich filling ooze out—such a comforting combination. This recipe is inspired by the Salty Honey Pie from Four & Twenty Blackbirds, one of my go-to pie spots whenever I crave pie but feel too lazy to bake one myself.
This Honey Miso Pie is a perfect balance of salty and sweet, with the deep umami flavor of miso adding complexity to the sweetness of honey. The honey brings a floral richness, while the miso gives the pie an unexpected savory depth. With my super flaky easy pie crust, I can guarantee this will be the best pie you’ve ever had!
You might also like Matcha Creme Brulee Pie or Miso Cheesecake.
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Ingredients of Honey Miso Pie
- Honey - Use your favorite honey. Honey brings a floral, natural sweetness to the pie. It gives the filling a luscious texture, as it caramelizes slightly during baking, contributing to the golden color and rich flavor.
- Miso - White miso is the miso I use here. The miso adds a savory, umami-rich element to the pie, balancing out the sweetness of the honey. It deepens the flavor and gives the pie a unique, unexpected twist that makes it more complex. Check here if you want to learn more about miso.
- Butter - Unsalted butter cause we already have salt from miso. Butter adds richness to the filling, giving it a smooth, velvety texture after the pie cools down.
- Sugar - Though honey is the main sweetener, sugar helps boost the sweetness and aids in caramelization. It also helps stabilize the custard filling, ensuring it sets properly and has a smooth consistency.
- Heavy Cream - Heavy cream adds creaminess to the custard, making the filling rich and silky. It also helps balance the density of the eggs and the butter, so the texture wouldn’t be too heavy.
- Egg & Egg Yolk - Eggs are essential in setting the custard. The whole eggs provide structure, while the egg yolk adds extra richness and creaminess. The yolks also contribute to the custard's golden color and help thicken the filling as it bakes.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Honey Miso Pie?
First, you need a par-baked pie crust. Check here for step-by-step pie crust instructions. and don’t forget to dot the pie before baking.
Line the parchment paper, and add the pie weight. In this case, my pie weight is lentil. Bake at 350°F for 18 minutes or until the pie crust feels dry when you touch it. Remove the pie weight, and bake for 6 more minutes. (I use convection oven. It might need extra time if your oven doesn’t have a fan.)
After the pie crust is ready. In a small sauce pan, mix butter, miso, sugar and heavy cream, and heat up the mixture. Mix egg and egg yolk in a mixing bowl.
Once the butter mixture starts boiling, slowly drizzle it into the eggs while continuously whisking. This gradual process prevents the eggs from curdling. Afterward, add the honey and mix well.
Strain the filing before pouring it into par-baked pie crust. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 320°F if your pie is already colored after 15 minutes.
Storage
This pie is the best served on the same day. If you can’t finish by the end of the day (though I doubt that would happen!), keep it in the fridge and finish in 3 days. You can reheat i tin the oven or enjoy it cold. The texture will be firmer if you serve it cold, but still good.
Recipe Tips
Keep a close eye on everything! The butter, sugar, and heavy cream mixture can reach a boil quickly, and you don’t want all the water in the heavy cream to evaporate. When baking the pie, the filling may start to color as soon as the custard sets, so be prepared to adjust the oven temperature and baking time as needed.
Let the pie set! I know it is very tempting, but after baking, you need to let the filling set until it is firm enough to cut. Otherwise, the filling might collapse when you cut into it.
Recipe FAQ
The reason why I cook butter, sugar and heavy cream first is more than just melting the butter. By adding the hot mixture into egg and egg yolk, I also “temper” the protein in the egg. This step helps the custard rise more evenly during baking in the oven, and also shortens the baking time.
For this type of custard filling, I highly recommend par-baking the pie crust since the filling contains a lot of liquid. Par-baking ensures that the crust forms its flaky layers before the liquid filling is added, preventing it from becoming soggy.
The best way to check if the pie is done is by gently shaking it. If the center is still liquid, you’ll need to bake it for an additional 10-15 minutes. The pie is ready when the filling appears puffy and jiggles like jelly. Be careful not to bake until it cracks—that's a sign it’s over-baked.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe Card
Honey Miso Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust
- 35 g miso
- 56 g unsalted butter
- 74 g sugar
- 90 g heavy cream
- 2 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 130 g honey
Instructions
- Parbake: Line the parchment paper, and add the pie weight. In this case, my pie weight is lentil. Bake at 350°F for 18 minutes or until the pie crust feels dry when you touch it. Remove the pie weight, and bake for 6 more minutes. (I use convection oven. It might need extra time if your oven doesn’t have a fan.)
- Cook: After the pie crust is ready. In a small sauce pan, mix butter, miso, sugar and heavy cream, and heat up the mixture.
- Mix: Mix egg and egg yolk in a mixing bowl.
- Temper: Once the butter mixture starts boiling, slowly drizzle it into the eggs while continuously whisking. This gradual process prevents the eggs from curdling. Afterward, add the honey and mix well.
- Strain: Strain the filing before pouring it into par-baked pie crust.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 320°F if your pie is already colored after 15 minutes.
- Serve: Enjoy Honey Miso Pie warm or cold.
Jenny says
Made this pie yesterday, and my son loved it.