As with most things historically Scottish, the origin of the term butterscotch is shrouded in controversy and heavily Anglicized through a long history of war, destruction of records, and the suppression of Scots Gaelic in favor of English.
The Keillers of Dundee, manufacturers of the famous Dundee Orange Marmalade, may have made butterscotch confectionary as far back as 1797. The first literary reference comes from Nottingham in 1847, and a nineteenth century article in The Doncaster Archives claimed that a sweet-maker there was making “butter-scotch” as early as 1817. This makes sense if the recipe was originally from Scotland and moving southward. Other sources argue that the “scotch” part of the word comes from “scorching” the syrup, or “scoring” the sweets as they cool for easier breaking.
Whatever the origin of the word, the brown sugar and butter caramelize deliciously over the apples in the baking. Add a dollop of plum jam and a meringue topping, and this mouth-watering dessert will quickly become a favorite for any romantic evening.
For Filling
Ingredients:
Basic pastry crust (see recipe or store-bought)
4-6 cups favorite pie apples
1/2 cup plus one tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup Demerara sugar (light brown)
2 tbsp plum jam
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp cream
1 egg
2 egg whites
pinch of salt
Step-by-Step:
Line a 9-inch fluted metal flan tin with pastry dough.
Preheat oven to 425°F
Peel, core, and slice the apples thin. Layer until they fill the crust completely.
In a small bowl, beat the whole egg with one tablespoon of cream.
In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, and salt.
Combine wet mixture with dry.
Spread combined ingredients over the apples in the tin and bake at 425°F for ten minutes.
Reduce oven temp to 350°F and bake for 20 additional minutes or until the apples are soft.
In a clean, dry bowl, whip egg whites at medium-speed with an electric mixer until firm peaks form. Beating constantly, add granulated sugar to form a smooth, thick, and glossy meringue.
Spread plum jam over the apples.
Cover with meringue topping and use the flat side of a knife to swirl the meringue into pretty peaks.
Bake at 350°F for 15-25 minutes or so until the meringue is lightly golden. Chill and serve cold.
For Pie Crust
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
8 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp caster (fine-granulated) sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp iced water
1 tbsp butter
Pastry weights or 1 cup dried beans or rice
Step-by-Step:
If pre-baking, preheat oven to 350°F.
Using a pastry brush, coat a 9-inch pan with melted butter.
Sift the flour into a large bowl and crumble in the butter. Combine butter and flour until the mixture forms large crumbs.
Add the sugar, egg yolk, and water. Stir to form a fine, soft dough.
Press the dough into a ball, then roll it out between two sheets of plastic wrap, until it is 1/8-inch thick, turning frequently to get a round shape big enough to cover the base and sides of your pan.
Remove only one side of the plastic wrap and gently ease the pastry into the tin. Press the plastic wrap coated side firmly into the bottom and flutes of the tin, then trim off the excess at the top.
Remove wrap and vent pastry with a fork. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
If pre-baking, line the crust with wax paper, distribute weights, rice, or beans evenly on top, and bake for 35 minutes.