Tag Archive for: desserts

This Pecan Pie is the bomb!

Something about pie, part challenge to produce a flaky, delicate crust, part novelty for all the different kinds- from sweet to savory.  May I be so daring as to call myself an experienced pie-maker?  I’ve made at least 50 pies by now!  And, it’s your lucky day, because after having tested a multitude of pie dough recipes, I’ve posted (below) what I’ve found to be by-far the flakiest, tastiest and most successful pie crust of all!

Within the sweet realm, my favorites include French Pumpkin Hazelnut, Dried Pear Caramel Dark Chocolate and Classic Apple.  Today I’ve tried my hand at Pecan Pie for the first time and let me say it did not disappoint!  Don’t forget a little ball of ice-cream  on the side. Heaven!

PS.  I’ll be testing out savory Individual Lobster Pot Pies on my husband before serving them for a party we’re hosting.  Wish me luck… and stay tuned for the post.

Pecan Pie (serves 8)

3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup light or dark corn syrup

1/2 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or use Grade B Maple Syrup like I did, you’ll get a slightly looser texture)

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 Tbs. bourbon

1 Tbs. instant espresso powder

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp. table salt

1/3 cup very finely chopped toasted pecans

2 cups toasted pecan halves

1 blind-baked all-butter piecrust, (Below), or use a store bought crust to really make your life easy

1/2 cup crushed chocolate toffee candy pieces, such as Heath or Skor

Position a rack in the center of the oven, set a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 375°F.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, and Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or Maple Syrup if using) until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly.

One at a time, whisk in the eggs. Whisk in the bourbon, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the chopped pecans.

Sprinkle half of the pecan halves in the piecrust, followed by the toffee candy pieces, and then the remaining pecan halves. Pour the syrup mixture over all.

Put the pie on the heated baking sheet and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until set, 45 to 55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. When the pan is nudged, the center of the pie will no longer wobble, but the whole pie will jiggle just slightly, and the filling will bubble at the edges.

Transfer to a rack and cool completely before serving. The pie can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Email me if you want this recipe veganized, raw veganized, gluten freed or dairy freed 🙂

Recipe adapted from/Inspired by Fine Cooking 101, pp. 63 November 18, 2010

My Favorite All Butter Pie Crust (Yields Two, 10” Pie Crusts) 

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher  salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening

6-8 tablespoons (about ½ cup) ice water

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.

Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8-12 times, until the butter is the size of peas.

With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball.

Dump out on a floured board, divide in half.  Gently form each half into a disc with smooth edges. It may feel strange not to, but don’t chill the dough yet. Shape it into two disks and start rolling; you can chill the dough once the pie is assembled. This method is unconventional, but author Carolyn Weil says that ultimately you get the most tender result because you don’t have to struggle with a disk of chilled, hard dough.  (If only making one pecan  pie you may double-wrap 2nd half tightly and  freeze the dough for up to 2 months.)

Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn’t stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan.  Trim the dough to 1” from the edge of pan. (If you have scraps, save them to make one or two little “donuts” for a chef’s treat!  Bake then dip in powdered sugar or jam- yum!) Roll the dough under itself into a cylinder that rests on the edge of the pan.  Crimp the edge and refrigerate about 1 hour or overnight.  This will relax the dough and help prevent the edges from caving in.

Blind-Baking the Crust

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 F. Line the chilled piecrust with foil and fill it all the way to the top (important, otherwise the edges will slip) with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake for 15 minutes, then remove- carefully- the foil and beans/weights. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 F. Bake until the bottom looks dry but isn’t quite done and the edges are light golden, about 5-7 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Email me if you want this recipe veganized, raw veganized, gluten freed or dairy freed 🙂

Pie Dough Recipe Adapted from Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa

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