Pecan pie is a marriage of nuts and sweet custard, encased in a flaky pastry. Originating from the southern United States, it is a popular dessert choice at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Like other custards, the filling of a pecan pie is thickened with eggs. Instead of milk or cream, the main liquid in the filling is dark corn syrup. This results in a custard-like texture with a dark and slightly translucent appearance. A healthy dose of freshly toasted pecans help out by adding complexity and balance to the pie.
Pecan pie can be made in a number of ways, sometimes with sugar and no corn syrup or vice versa. Some recipes will substitute the corn syrup with maple syrup or spike it up with a splash of bourbon (both excellent ideas). Out of hundreds of possible recipes, I provide this one because its blend of ingredients bring out the best in this classic dish. This recipe uses both brown sugar and dark corn syrup, ingredients that work together to provide a rich and complex flavor. Yet due to their unrefined nature, the resulting pie is not overly sweet.
This recipe recommends chopped over whole pecans. I prefer chopped pecans because, although they may not look as pretty in the final dish, the pie will be easier to slice once baked.
Serves 6-8 people
1
portion pie crust dough (pâte sablée)1/2
cup light brown sugar, packed3
eggs1
cup dark corn syrup2
tbsp unsalted butter, melted1
tsp vanilla extract- pinch of salt
1 1/2
cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted
Preheat the oven to 400°F200°C
.
Ensure that the pie crust dough is well chilled before rolling out.
Place the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a circle about one inch larger than the diameter of your baking dish. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter, keep lifting it up and rotating the dough a quarter turn as you roll.
To ensure the dough rolls out to a uniform thickness, always roll from the center of the dough outwards and use a rolling pin larger than the desired size of your intended dish. Once complete, your pastry should be about 1/4 inch thick.
With your rolling pin on the edge of the dough, roll up and wrap the dough around the rolling pin. Lift the dough over your baking dish and unroll it so that it is draped evenly over each side. Gently press the dough into the corners of the baking dish. Trim any excess dough from around the outer edge of the dish with a sharp knife or scissors, leaving a small 1/4 inch of overhang to form a fluted edge.
The fluted edge of a pie not only creates an attractive finish, but can also help to prevent the dough from shrinking when baked. There are many ways to flute. I prefer a minimalist approach. Simply fold the overhang outwards on itself and press it down on the flat outer edge of the baking dish.
With a wooden toothpick or skewer, punch small holes every 1/2 inch all over the base of the dough. This process is called 'docking' and doing so will prevent the dough from puffing up when baked. Make sure that the holes you punch are at least 1/16 inch1.5mm
in diameter. Any smaller and the holes will just close up when baked and undesirable puffing will result. Refrigerate the baking dish for 30 minutes to allow the gluten in the dough to relax after being rolled out (will help to prevent shrinkage).
The pastry will now be partially baked before any filling is added. Place the pastry shell in the center of the oven and bake for ten to twelve minutes until the pastry is set but not brown. If the base of the pastry shell starts to puff up, quickly open the oven door and prick it with a fork. It will deflate and all will be well. Puffing is a sign that it was not docked correctly. Next time, make the holes that you punch in the pastry base a little bigger.
Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool for ten minutes before adding the filling.
Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F180°C
.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about eight minutes. While toasting, prepare the filling.
In a medium bowl, add the brown sugar, eggs, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Rough chop each toasted pecans into three or four pieces. Lay the pecan pieces out evenly over the base of the partially cooked pie crust.
Pour the filling into the pie crust over the pecans. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the sides of the filling puff slightly, but the center remains flat.
Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
Serve slices of pie with ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy the compliments you receive from your satisfied diners.