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About the Recipe
Chef's notes: Some people think it’s the sweet and salty combination that makes this dessert irresistible, but I think the vanilla mascarpone cream is the key to balancing the flavors. The ingredients used in this pie are all gluten-free so more people can safely enjoy it.
Ingredients
8 tablespoons butter, divided use
1 1/2 cups crushed gluten-free pretzels
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided use
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided use
2 packages (3 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups whole milk
8 ounces Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics Mascarpone
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium microwave-safe bowl, melt 4 tablespoons butter on high power for 30 seconds. Add pretzels; stir until well combined. Press crust into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake 7-8 minutes or until crisp and golden. Cool on rack for at least 20 minutes before filling.
For caramel sauce, melt 4 remaining tablespoons of butter in small saucepan. Stir in brown sugar and granulated sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Whisk in 1/4 cup cream; cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes or until caramel thickens. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
In large mixing bowl, beat pudding mixes with milk on low speed of electric mixer for 1 minute. Beat in mascarpone and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until well-blended. In separate bowl, beat remaining 1 cup cream until soft peaks form; fold into pudding mixture. Scrape half the mixture into pie shell; drizzle half the caramel sauce over the cream. Scrape the remaining cream into the shell. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Warm the remaining caramel sauce in the microwave at high power in 15 second increments. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top of the pie; sprinkle with salt.