Queen of Crust

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Story by Alyssa Chase + Photos by Chris Whonsetler and Carrie Miller

How Carrie Miller transformed her baking hobby into a second career — including big-name sponsorships and an appearance on the Food Network

Carrie Miller didn’t plan to become a pie diva.

The Terre Haute native, who lives in Fishers with her family, spends her days as an IT consultant at OneAmerica, a financial services company with headquarters in downtown Indy. When she’s not working, Carrie, who has a baby girl on the way, takes care of her sons, four-year-old Kennedy and 14-year-old Carter, while her husband, Justin Miller, orchestrates the kitchen at Anthony’s Chop House in Carmel, where he’s executive chef. With Justin away in the evenings, Carrie makes and bakes to destress. After she built most of the furniture in her house, she started an Instagram account and blog to share her ideas and showcase her minimalist style. When Carrie posted her first pie image around 2014, her Instagram account exploded. Followers asked for pie recipes and tutorials, and her blog attracted thousands of subscribers. When her fan base reached the tens of thousands, Carrie heard from Crate and Barrel and Walmart, which became partners and sponsors. Better Homes and Gardens, Williams Sonoma and other big-name retailers featured Carrie and her creations on Instagram. Then came the Food Network.

FOOD NETWORK FAME “A casting agent sent me a direct message on Instagram and said, ‘We have a pie show we’re trying to ramp up, and we’re moving really fast,’” Carrie said. The opportunity included a trip to Los Angeles; the show would be shot at a studio nearby. “I thought it was a scam at first!” Carrie said. “I was afraid they’d fly me to the desert and no one would ever see me again.” A few emails later, Carrie knew it was the real thing. She became one of four pie experts to compete in the Food Network’s “Thanksgiving Pie Fight,” which aired last November. The show challenged the bakers to “push the limits of Thanksgiving pie-making for the chance to win $10,000.” “There was such a time crunch — I was touching 400-degree crust with my bare hand trying to get it on the pie. It was crazy!” said Carrie, who had a blast on the show and made three good friends.

Her go-getter attitude is a big part of what makes Carrie so successful. At the time the Food Network chose her for the show, she hadn’t yet perfected her own homemade pie crust. Undaunted, Carrie got to work. In a matter of days, she made over 50 crusts. “For the competition, they wanted a vertical pie. So I had to learn how to use pie crust that could stand above eight inches.” Carrie made a 10-inch-tall Ferris wheel. Meanwhile, she worked hard at her full-time job, took care of her family — and averaged four hours of sleep a night. Justin, who specializes in savory cuisine, appeared on the Food Network, too. He won his competition on the “Guy’s Grocery Games” show, and traveled to Dallas last summer for the World Food Championship, ranking seventh in the world for the recipe category. “Justin says, ‘We’re winners in this house,’” Carrie said. “He’s taught me so much.”

TOP, FROM LEFT: Carrie Miller with her chef husband, Justin Miller, and sons Kennedy and Carter. ABOVE: A page from Carrie's new cookbook, "The Detailed Pie."

DRIVEN BY LOVE Just as a flaky butter crust forms the foundation of a perfect pie, Carrie’s childhood laid a foundation for her success.

When Carrie was just one year old, her mother was convicted of murder and sent to prison. Her grandparents took guardianship of Carrie and her brother and raised them as their own. Throughout her childhood, Carrie visited her birth mom in prison once a month. She never met her biological father, though his name on her birth certificate is of South Asian origin. “He’s probably the source of my dark hair,” Carrie said. “My mother has sandy hair and freckles.”

"WHEN I'M BAKING, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE DESIGN AND THE CRUST. THAT'S WHAT DROVE ME TO PIES AT FIRST."

— CARRIE MILLER Carrie “grew up humble” on a farm with a big red barn, barrel-raced horses and spent summer evenings looking up at the stars. Yet the shame of her mother’s past shadowed her life. After a rough patch in high school, and an unexpected pregnancy at age 20, Carrie cast away the shadows and shifted her focus to the future. “I wanted to give Carter the best life I could,” she said.

With her grandparents’ support, Carrie became the first member of her family to earn a college degree, and landed her first postcollege job two weeks after graduation. She met Justin her senior year at Indiana State University, and the family moved to Indy a couple of years later. “My past made me who I am,” Carrie said. “I’m not ashamed of it. I grew up in a house where I was loved. That’s what really matters. It’s the reason I hug my boys a little tighter and tell them I love them every day.” Carrie puts that same love into her work, whether it’s a helpdesk portal at OneAmerica, a new cookbook or a brown butter pecan pie.

Q+A

What’s your favorite pie?

To eat, it’s key lime. When I’m baking pies, it’s really about the design and the crust. That’s what drove me to pies at first. I said, if people can decorate cakes, I can do it with pie. I can be the trailblazer in that area.

What’s your favorite crust recipe?

The flaky butter crust in my book! (See the recipe on page 37 or page 29 of Carrie’s book, “The Detailed Pie”). Homemade pie dough can be messy. That’s why I usually make three or four batches at a time. It’s worth it!

What’s your most popular item?

Peanut butter pie is a huge hit. It’s a chilled pie with graham cracker crust, peanut butter, whipped topping and cream cheese. I add chocolate, Butterfinger or Heath bits, then drizzle chocolate ganache on top.

Who inspires you?

My kids. I want them to be proud of me as an individual, and show them you have to work hard for what you want. I’m also inspired by fellow pie makers. Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin (@thePieous) was a judge on my Food Network show. I was so excited about meeting her! And Kayley McCabe’s (@thekitchenmccabe) photography and food art are so inspiring.

How long does it take you to make a pie?

A chilled pie takes me about an hour. A designer pie can take two to five hours.

What do you love most about baking pies?

If I have a bad day or I’m stressed out about something, the feel of the cold flour and butter when I’m making crust is therapeutic for me. With my day job, I know what I need to produce. I don’t have a lot of leeway. Baking is my creative outlet. I have a vision when I start a pie, but in the process, I create more than I envisioned. PUMPKIN AND LEAF SHAPES: Use cookie cutters to cut shapes from rolled-out crust. Bake separately on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

and

Bakers know a certain alchemy takes place when flour and fat mingle with heat in an oven. Carrie Miller expands on the magic that turns pie into a work of art. For crust and filling, the building blocks of pie, Carrie perfects the basics with subtle variations. The tips and recipes here also appear in Carrie’s new cookbook, “The Detailed Pie.”

THE FOUNDATION FLAKY BUTTER CRUST Before you can add the filling, you have to have a sensational shell — a crust full of layers, flavor and texture.

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES CHILL TIME: 2-12 HOURS

21 / 2 cups flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup cold butter, cubed 2 tablespoons lard 6 tablespoons ice-cold water

1| To a food processor, add all the dry ingredients and pulse on high three times. 2| Add half of the butter, lard and water. Pulse on high for 5 seconds. (If you don’t want to use lard, add 2 more tablespoons of cubed butter.) 3| Repeat step 2 until all butter, lard and water are added.

If you see chunks of butter, that’s OK. You don't want to overwork the crust. 4| Remove the dough from the food processor and divide the dough in half. 5| Form both sections of dough into flat-ish disks and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Place dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. (Carrie recommends chilling the dough for 12 hours or overnight.) 6| When you’re ready to use the crust, remove it from the refrigerator, allow it to sit for 5 minutes or until the dough is workable, then sprinkle flour on a flat surface before rolling.

THE ART OF THE BRAID

Carrie delights her followers, customers, clients and Food

Network fans with intricate decorative elements, including braided crust. To make your own fishtail braid, roll and divide your pie dough, and follow along with the pictures.

When you finish your braid, wet the ends to prevent it from breaking apart when baked. Carrie’s Brown Butter

Pecan Pie crust includes three fishtail braids.

38 kitindy.com

THE FLAIR BROWN BUTTER PECAN PIE FILLING

This twist on classic pecan pie will renew your affinity for the holiday favorite.

OVEN TEMP: 375 DEGREES F PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES BAKE TIME: 1 HOUR

PECAN TOPPING Bake 2 cups of pecan halves separately on a cookie sheet, then add them to the top one at a time, starting on the outside edges, working your way to the center.

4 teaspoons butter 1 / 4 cup maple syrup 1 cup dark corn syrup 1 / 2 cup granulated sugar 1 / 4 cup brown sugar 1 / 4 teaspoon salt 3 eggs 1 1 / 2 cups pecans

1| Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out one Flaky Butter Crust, lay it in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan, wrap with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until ready for the filling. 2| In a saucepan on medium to high heat (ranges vary), add the 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk constantly until the butter looks brown in color and has a nutty aroma. (You’ll know when you get there!) Watch the butter carefully to prevent burning. Brown butter should be the color of a paper bag. 3| Once the butter is browned, immediately remove it from the heat and add the maple syrup and dark corn syrup. Whisk until combined, then set aside. 4| Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt to a large mixing bowl. Mix until combined. Set aside. Allow the mixture in the saucepan to cool before adding the eggs. Whisk in the eggs until they’re incorporated. 5| Add the dry ingredients to the saucepan and whisk together until all ingredients are combined. Add the pecans to the pie pan, then pour the filling over them.

Cover the edges with foil, place on the center rack, and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

BAKE LIKE CARRIE

Carrie Miller’s new cookbook, “The Detailed Pie,” includes even more recipes and instructions. Order your copy at blurb.com. Follow Carrie on Instagram at @acarriedaffairdesigns. Prefer to order a pie? Send Carrie a direct message. Visit Carrie’s blog for more baking tips at acarriedaffairblog.com.

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