All I Want for Christmas is…PIE (Pecan Pie)
Well, this is embarrassing. I was supposed to post this during the holidays but instead, it has been languishing in my drafts file. What better day than Pi Day to post it.
Desserts for the holidays are a no-brainer. Pies or tarts are the order of the holi-DAY. The only sticky wicket in our house is what kind of pie will grace the table. Hubster is a traditionalist; he votes for Apple Pie every time. Jorge loves Pumpkin Pie. Jamie loves Peach Pie, and Jeffrey would like cheesecake to be added to the pie category. Me? I dream about the Key Lime Pie at Poorhouse Pies or Tartine’s Lemon Cream Tart (still a pie, right?).
But the one holiday pie we all agree on is Pecan Pie. There is some wiggle room though, sometimes it shows up as a traditional pie or more often than not, it shows up as bite-sized tartlets. I love the little tartlets–I don’t have to share.
But the tartlets will have to wait for another day. This is all about pie, baby–pecan pie.
My favorite recipe comes from way back in the day from Michael Bauer’s book “Recipe for Success”. It’s a collection of recipes from his Chronicle column. The Butter Pecan Pie from Restaurant Chow in the City is a winner. You can call this post “a tip of my cap” to Mr. Bauer, who recently retired as the restaurant reviewer for the Chronicle.
Unlike most Pecan Pie recipes, there is an extra step in this one. The filling requires cooking on the stove before baking. This helps to make the filling smooth
I included the original crust recipe, but I normally use my tried and true. Your choice, but you are reading MY blog so….. 😛 Make sure to freeze the crust for 10-15 minutes before adding the filling and baking. The warmth of the filling can melt the crust before it properly bakes so don’t skip this step.
Though the recipe calls for pecan halves, I chop the nuts into pieces. Why? There is less smooshing of the pie as you cut into it with the smaller pieces. I opted for function over form. The recipe calls for light corn syrup, but I have used a mix of light and Lyle’s Golden Syrup or all Golden Syrup. The knock on pecan pie is it can be pretty sweet. The amount of butter in this recipe helps temper the sweetness. The original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon vanilla, but you can add up to 1 tablespoon. That also helps cut the sweetness. Another option is 1 tablespoon of bourbon if you’re feeling boozy.
Try not to overbake it. I know…what the heck does that mean?! The will pie continue to cook after it is taken out of the oven so try to remove the pie when it is set but the center still has a little jiggle left.
Life’s major decisions…
BUTTER PECAN PIE
Ingredients
The Crust
- -- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all- purpose flour + additional flour for rolling pastry
- -- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- -- 3/4 cup 6 ounces chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- -- 1/4 cup ice water
The Filling
- -- 1 1/2 cups pecans halves and pieces
- -- 1 cup C & H golden brown sugar
- -- 1 scant cup light corn syrup or substitute Lyle's Golden Syrup
- -- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- -- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- -- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- -- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- -- 1 teaspoon vanilla can use up 1 tablespoon, or add 1 tablespoon bourbon
- -- Vanilla ice cream or lightly whipped cream
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Combine the 1 1/2 cups flour and the salt in a food processor and mix briefly. Gradually add the butter to the flour mixture while pulsing the processor on and off, until the butter is cut into pieces the size of small peas. With the processor running, gradually add the ice water and process until large clumps form.
- Remove the dough from the processor, shape into a ball, and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Let the dough soften slightly at room temperature. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch round. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan. Trim any dough hanging over the edge. Crimp the edges decoratively. Freeze for 10 minutes.
To make the filling:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place rack in lowest position possible in oven.
- Combine the pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, flour and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool 15 minutes.
- Whisk together the eggs and vanilla. Stir about 1/2 cup of the hot sugar mixture into the eggs to temper them, then stir this mixture into the hot sugar mixture.
- Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until the custard has set and the nuts rise to the top, about 30 to 40 minutes. If the crust browns too quickly, cover with foil. Transfer to a rack and let cool.
- Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 8.