Melon Bourbon with Dublin Shortbread Crust

This idea was spurred because I wanted to make a pie with chirimoya, which of course I couldn’t find at the store in the middle of a pandemic. So, I found papaya and honeydew melon instead… added some Knob Creek Bourbon and Dublin Shortbread Cookie Crust… and voila! The caramelized bourbon soaked into the puff pastry and made for a magical flavor! This is a great pie for a summer barbecue or holiday dinner.

Note - in the video I make a double recipe (for 2 pies). The recipe below is ONE pie. Of course, if you have more hungry mouths to feed, adjust accordingly :)

First comes the glaze – this will go on the top and the bottom. DO NOT make this ahead of time as it is super time-sensitive and needs to be poured immediately

Ingredients – this is for EACH round. You will make two of these – one at the very beginning and one at the very end:

½ c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp bourbon (I used Knob Creek)

¼ tsp sea salt

ROUND ONE: Mix together in medium saucepan over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until consistency is like syrup and color is amber. Pour immediately into the center of the bottom of glass 9” deep dish pie pan. Move pan to evenly coat from the center, outward. Once it is hardened, set aside.

ROUND TWO: Do as above, but pour over completed pie, pre-baking – you will be prompted later in the recipe J

Next step – melon

Ingredients:

2 medium papayas, ripe

1 large honeydew melon, ripe

Spoon both into chunks, keeping the melons separate (Orange in one bowl and green in the other). Set aside

Then – Dublin Shortbread and Puff Pastry

Ingredients:

10 Dublin shortbread cookies (about ¾ c), crushed

4 tbsp melted butter, unsalted

1/3 c granulated sugar

½ tsp vanilla

1 package pre-made puff pastry shells (6 shells)

Preheat oven to 400 deg F.

Mix cookies, butter, vanilla and sugar together with a spatula, until evenly coated. Set aside.

Now add melon to glaze in pie plate, With green on the outside and orange on the inside, evenly spread out.

Place Dublin shortbread mixture evenly on top of the green portion, leaving the orange center exposed.

Now cover the shortbread with the puff pastry shells. The orange center should still be exposed.

Now repeat the recipe for the glaze and pour over the top of the puff pastry and center of the pie.

Place in oven. Bake at 400 deg for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 deg and bake for another 30 min, until puff pastry is golden brown.

Serves 8.

Serving the first pie, of course, at the beach! :)

Shared the second pie with a group for dinner - I think this one was a hit!

Stay tuned for more pie making adventures each week!

~Sasha