-
To make the crust: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the butter and cream cheese until well blended.
-
Add the flour, sugar, and salt; mix until just blended. Pat into a disk, wrap in your favorite reusable wrapping and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
-
On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 13" circle. Transfer the dough to a 9" pan, trim and crimp the edges, and place the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
-
To prebake the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F and position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
-
Remove the chilled crust from the refrigerator, line it with parchment or foil, and place pie weights (or dried beans, uncooked rice, or granulated sugar) inside.
-
Place the pie pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust on the lower oven rack for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top edges begin to take on some color. Remove from the oven and carefully lift the parchment and weights from the pan.
-
Return the crust to the oven and bake until the bottom inside surface is light brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
-
Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool completely while you make the filling.
-
To make the filling: In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together 1 3/4 cups (397g) of the milk with the cream, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
-
Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup (57g) milk with the egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour some of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture. This process, called tempering, prevents the yolks from turning into scrambled eggs when you add them to the simmering milk.
-
Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining simmering milk. Doing this through a strainer will help prevent lumps later. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the mixture thickens and you see the boiling bubbles reach the center of the saucepan.
-
Boil the filling for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract and maple flavoring.
-
Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and use the back of a spoon or small offset spatula to smooth the top. Refrigerate the pie for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, before serving.
-
To brûlée the pie: Once the filling has completely chilled, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top of the pie. Use a baker’s torch to evenly cook the sugar on top of the pie until it's a deep, golden brown. (Note: Using your oven’s broiler for this step is not recommended. If you don’t have a baker’s torch, skip the topping and finish with whipped cream instead; see “tips,” below.)
-
Storage information: Store any leftover maple cream pie, covered, in the refrigerator for several days.
