Pecan Pie (super decadent, time-consuming... and worth it!)
Contributor:
Jenny Pauls
Catetories:
Desserts & Sweets
Recipe:
A former student, Kevin, insisted I try his pecan pie, though I professed that I was NOT interested. I'm glad he persisted, because this pie addresses all my issues with pecan pie (the crust is not soggy, there is not a huge amount of gloppy overly sweet filling, and there are a lot of nuts). It takes a fair amount of time to make and you're committing a pound of butter (not quite all to the pie, you'll have some pastry left over) and 3/4 lb of pecans (my pecans cost more than my Thanksgiving turkey this year!), but if you're into pecan pie... or if you don't THINK you are... give it a whirl.
I'm including my transcription of the recipe (from a fuzzy scan from Kevin), Kevin's notes to me, and the suggestion that you weigh ingredients if you've got a decent kitchen scale (since I got a pretty big disconnect on some quantities).
We'll start with the pâte sablée, the slightly sweet, tender crust.
PÂTE SABLÉE (makes around 650 g - more than you'll need, scale it down if you like). [2/3 of a recipe makes a good amount for a one-crust pie--Jenny.]
Pâte sablée is more fragile and delicate to work with than pâte sucrée but it melts in the rnouth like no other dough. If well wrapped, it will keep perfectly in the refrigerator for up to a week, or for up to 3 months in the freezer.
1¾ cups (250g) all-purpose flour
scant 1 cup (200g) butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened
1 cup (l00g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
pinch of salt
2 medium egg yolks
Heap the flour on the counter and make a well. Put in the butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt. With your fingertips, mix and cream the butter with the sugar and salt, then add the egg yolks and work them delicately with your fingertips.
Little by little, draw the flour into the center and work the mixture delicately with your fingers until you have a homogeneous dough.
Using the palm of your hand, push the dough away from you 3 or 4 times until it is completely smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Oh and notice in the crust recipe (which I wouldn’t use salted butter) it said the butter should be cubed and slightly soft. You may be one of those Americans that leaves Chunks of butter in for a "flaky crust." The butter needs to be fully incorporated. No chunks.
I mix the butter into the flour completely then add sugar and mix that in with the fingertips as well then add the yolk and finish.
9 oz (260 g) pâte sablée
l cup (230g) butter, softened
1/4 cup (80g) maple syrup
3/4 cup (150 g) superfine sugar
3 medium eggs
2 1/4 cups (250 g) shelled pecans
1/3 cup (50g) all-purpose flour
Roll out the dough to a circle, 1/8 inch (3mm) thick, and use it to line a greased 8 inch (20 cm) diameter (1inch/2.5 cm deep) tart ring. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Prick the base of the pastry shell. Bake the shell blind, following the instructions on page 12, for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and return the pastry shell to the oven for 5 minutes. Unmold and place on a wire rack. Lower the oven setting to 340 F/170 C.
For the filling, work the butter, maple syrup, and sugar together in a bowl using a whisk, until creamy. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, working each one in with the whisk before adding the next.
Set aside about 2/3 c (100g) of the best pecan halves; coarsely chop the rest. Mix the chopped pecans and the flour into the filling, taking care not to overwork the mixture.
Pour the filling into the cooked pastry shell. Arrange the pecan halves on top and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the surface is golden brown and the top feels firm to the touch. Lift off the tart ring and let the pie cool until warm before slicing and serving.
This soft-textured pie is best served warm with vanilla ice cream. If left until cold, the tart loses some of its flavor.
(more) NOTES FROM KEVIN:
Yeah you have to use more dough than it says. I'm trying to remember if I used a half a dough recipe and that was enough. I think it left me a little short so had a really thin crust just make a whole recipe and use what you need. This is one of those times that a measurement won't help, have to use your instincts as a cook. You know how it should be.
Other than that the recipe is solid. No tweaking necessary. I think I baked it for a bit longer though. Needs to be about 165 F maybe 170. 165 kills salmonella but 170 sets the egg a bit more. 180 really sets it so different texture pie. You probably know all this. I like 170 F
You can make jammy dodgers with the extra dough.
It's pecans, butter, and syrup and that's it really so they need to be good quality. Use good butter. At least Challenge butter. I think last time I used Somerdale English butter and it's the best butter in the world. It's available from Whole Foods. It's expensive but it's delicious. It's only available in salted but I like salt, especially in a desert with nuts.
Anyway use a decent butter and I use pure maple syrup - not Aunt Jemima or whatever. Now that I say that it's becoming clear why it's important to use good syrup. I use dark amber. It used to be called grade B but now everyone is calling it dark amber. Sprouts brand is what I used.
Like I said I may be preaching to the choir here but I though this mention it.
