Maya-Camille Broussard is the founder & owner of Chicago-based yet nationally regarded pie company, Justice of the Pies. They partner with organizations such as DreamOn Education and Cabrini Green Legal Aid to support their employees, their community and the greater good all while baking the most incredible pies you’ve ever tried. Food is often times the one thing that can bring anyone and everyone together – it’s a universal love language & Justice of the Pies proves that with their mission & product. They are a leader in all industries showcasing how you can operate a business in any industry yet tie in a social justice cause to ensure you’re giving back. We chatted with Maya-Camille to discuss all things pies, the fight for good and how she spends her time in the kitchen. Check out our Q&A below & click here to learn more about Justice of the Pies!
What is your favorite recipe? How did you learn to make it?
“I taught myself!”
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- zest of one whole lime
- zest of one whole lemon
- 3 cups cake flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup lemon-lime soda pop
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Using a standing mixer or a hand mixer, cream butter & sugar together. Add 5 large eggs, add & mix one egg at a time in order to create an emulsion. Add the zest of a lemon & a lime, vanilla extract & lemon extract & mix.
- Add cake flour in increments of ⅓, mixing the flour into the batter in-between each increment. Once the cake flour is incorporated into the batter, add salt & sour cream and mix. While mixing the batter, slowly pour in the lemon-lime pop.
- Line a Bundt cake pan with shortening & all-purpose unbleached flour. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan & bake for one hour in the center rack of the oven.
- Test the center of the cake with a knife; if it comes out clean & dry then the cake is ready.
- Remove the cake pan from the oven & allow it to cool for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan.
measuring cup
zester
bundt cake pan
knife
What are 5 pantry, fridge & freezer essentials?
PANTRY: sugar, cake flour, pure vanilla extract, dried lavender flowers, a cheat day snack
FRIDGE: Manchego cheese, fig jam, eggs, heavy cream, chilled bottle of wine
FREEZER: ice cubes, butter, vanilla ice cream, frozen fruit, Justice of the Pies Billowy Biscuits that we pre-make & store to pull out as needed
What are your favorite cookbooks?
Feed the Resistance, The Jemima Code & any cookbook by Edna F. Lewis
What are your 3-5 kitchen essentials?
OXO silicon spatulas, kosher salt, KitchenAid standing mixer, Great Jones Small Fry skillet & Le Creuset Dutch oven
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What are 3-5 Black-owned businesses you love?
KIDO, October Lotus Brands by Basnight, We Are Maud & Ode to Babel
What is one petition you want to encourage people to sign ASAP?
Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor.
What are a few of your favorite Chicago restaurants?
Virtue, Antique Taco, Two Fish, Majani’s, Ina Mae Tavern, Irazu, Harold’s Chicken (on Madison Ave.), Bongo Room, Green Street Smoked Meats & Hi Five Ramen.
What is your personal favorite pie at Justice of the Pies?
Strawberry Basil Key Lime
If you could spend a day in the kitchen with one person, who would it be?
Can’t do just one: Mashama Bailey, Denzel Washington, & Tracee Ellis Ross in the kitchen then Ava DuVernay & Oprah Winfrey on cocktail duty. Tracee might have to split her time between the kitchen & the bar actually.
PIN FOR LATER:
*Images courtesy of Justice of the Pies.
