Margaret’s Maple Sugar Pie

Preparation

1. Dough:

   Step 1

   Pulse sugar, salt, and 1 1/4 cups flour in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse until the largest pieces are pea-size. Add lard and pulse again until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to a large bowl and drizzle in 3 Tbsp. ice water; mix with a fork to combine. Knead 3–4 times to bring dough together (only a couple of floury spots should remain). Flatten dough into a 1/2"-thick disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.

   Step 2

   Let dough sit at room temperature 5 minutes to soften.

   Step 3

   Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12" round, rotating often and dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Transfer to a 9" pie dish. Lift up edges and allow dough to slump down into dish. You should have about 1" overhang. Fold edges under and crimp. Freeze 15 minutes.

   Step 4

   Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and place in pie crust, coated side down, pressing into bottom and up sides. Fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake until edges of crust are pale golden, 15–20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and continue to bake crust until bottom is golden and looks dry, 12–18 minutes more. Transfer dish to a wire rack and let crust cool.

2. Filling and assembly:

   Step 5

   Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat brown sugar, cream, and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a large saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring constantly, until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved, and mixture is smooth (do not let bowl touch water). Remove bowl from heat and stir in whiskey and vanilla. Whisking constantly, add eggs one at a time, incorporating completely after each addition. Add flour and salt and whisk just until smooth. Scrape filling into crust and place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.

   Step 6

   Bake pie until filling is browned all over, puffed around the edges, and still slightly wobbly in the center, 45–55 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack and let pie cool at least 4 hours before slicing (the longer you can wait, the easier it’ll be to slice; do not refrigerate).

   Step 7

   Serve pie topped with whipped cream.

3. Do Ahead

   Step 8

   Dough can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month. Crust can be baked 1 day ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
   Pie can be baked 1 day ahead. Let cool, then store loosely covered at room temperature.