Pecan pie is a creamy, rich, indulgent dessert. It's often made during Thanksgiving and other holidays, especially in America. It's also the answer to the question how to celebrate girlfriend birthday. It's a refreshing dessert, where the crunch of the pecans meets with the creamy filling and leads to a grand textural confluence in the mouth. It's also a rather lovely dessert to look at, with it's brown and burnt orange tones, perfect for a cool autumn evening. So here’s everything you need to know to make this dish at home.
Ingredients:
- 1 pie crust
- 315 g all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for shaping and rolling
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 85 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 130 g vegetable shortening, chilled
- 120 ml ice cold water
- egg wash for pie crust: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk or heavy cream
Filling:
- 250 g shelled pecans
- 3 large eggs
- 240 ml dark corn syrup
- 100 g packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
- Make the pie dough by whisking the flour and salt in a large bowl. Then add the butter and shortening and mix well. Then start adding water, one spoon at a time, until it starts to clump. Place the dough on a floured work surface and form it into a ball. If it's too runny, add more flour. If it's too dry and crumbly, add more water. Let it cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F or 177C.
- Roll out the chilled pie crust on a lightly floured work station. Use a rolling pin and apply gentle pressure. Start from the middle and roll outward. After every few roles, turn the dough around clockwise, and roll in the same direction. Keep sprinkling flour, on the dough and on the rolling pin. Roll it out until you have a nice round, slightly larger than the diameter of the pie dish.
- Place the disc in the pie dish, smoothening it out where needed. Crimp the edges and trim off any excess dough. If the pie dish has ridges, carefully press the dough into each ridge so that it's fitting in smoothly.
- Brush the egg wash on the edges of the crust. Set aside.
- Chop the pecans roughly into halves. Spread them inside the pie crust. Don't add too many or too little pecans. You don't want so many that it's too crunchy when eating, but not so few that there’s too much empty space either. The pecans are the main filling, and the liquid filling essentially holds them together. And don't worry about uniformity. It's fine it you cut them unevenly. Just ensure they’re not too big or it will be a hassle when eating.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, butter, salt and cinnamon. Mix until well combined. Then pour this mixture onto the pecans in the crust, filling up the pie crust.
- Bake the pie for about an hour. You’ll know it's done when the top starts to brown a little. Then remove and set on a wire rack to cool. As it cools, you’ll notice that the filling will start to settle into shape. It will hold the pecans in place and start to solidify. Don't interrupt this process or try to rush it.
- Once it has set, slice the pie. Serve warm or at room temperature, either topping the slice with whipped cream or adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
- Leftover pie can be stored at room temperature for 2 days and in the fridge for 5 days.
Notes, tips and tricks:
- If you want to make ahead, you can create the filling beforehand and keep it ready. Make the pie dough before and store that too. Also chop the pecans beforehand and store in an airtight container. You’ll just have to place the crust in the dish, add the chopped pecans, pour in the filling and bake later.
- If you want to freeze the pie, cover with plastic wrap and then freeze for up to 3 months. When serving, let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then sit out at room temperature before you serve.