Make Ahead

Pecan Pie for Alison

by:
April 19, 2020
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Pecan Pie for Alison
Photo by AniaSweets
  • Prep time 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Cook time 45 minutes
  • Makes 1 pie
Author Notes

For her Birthday, my newly pregnant best friend, wanted nothing more than a taste of the south in pecan pie form. I made her this and she claimed that it was the best pecan pie she had ever had - or maybe it was the hormones talking? In any case, it was heavenly! The recipe was inspired by Texas Home Cook Betty Lee, who won many a pie contest with her recipe. My version has added umami with the use of dark Demerara sugar and carob molasses. You can find carob molasses at Middle Eastern grocery stores. The crust is a riff on Ronda Boon's Favorite Pie Dough for Epicurious. —AniaSweets

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Butter Pie Crust
  • 1 1/4 cups organic all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup cold butter cubed
  • 1 teaspoon organic apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 teaspoon vodka or lemoncello
  • Pecan Filling
  • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves lightly roasted
  • 1 1/2 cups butter
  • 1 1/2 cups dark Demerara sugar
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup carob molasses
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons organic all purpose flour
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 large organic eggs
Directions
  1. Butter Pie Crust
  2. In a food processor pulse 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 cup cold cubed butter, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp vodka (or lemoncello) until combined. Gradually add one Tbs at a time of ice water until crumbly and coming together. Empty out onto a cutting board and while being careful not to over handle, bring together into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap (or reusable bees wax wrap) and chill for 30 min.
  3. Preheat oven to 400F. Roll out dough into a 12" disk or until it will fit your pie tin with some overhang. I like to use a fluted 8 inch tart tin with removable bottom. Gently push the dough up along the sides and trim - keep things a bit loose as it will tighten when cooking. Using a fork prick all over (up the sides too), but again be gentle - you don't want to create opportunities for the filling to leak.
  4. Blind bake with parchment and beans or pastry weights for 20 - 25 min. until lightly golden.
  5. For extra yum, while the oven is hot, roast the pecans till toasty to bring out their flavour. About 7 min.
  1. Pecan Filling
  2. Preheat oven to 350F. In a saucepan melt the 1 1/2 cup butter, 1 1/2 cup Demerara sugar, 3/4 white sugar, 1/4 cup corn syrup, 1/4 cup carob molasses, 3 Tbs milk, 2 Tbs flour, vanilla seeds and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Combine with whisk until mixture boils. Set aside to cool for 5 min.
  3. In a heatproof bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whisk the 4 eggs and temper with a tablespoon of the hot sugar mixture. Gradually add the rest of the sugar mixture to eggs while mixing constantly - take your time, we want to avoid scrambled eggs!
  4. Arrange the pecans in the pie shell in a single layer. Pour sugar mixture over and be sure to cover all the nuts with the glorious goo.
  5. Bake 45 min or until center is just set. Transfer to rack to cool. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or cool with whipped cream.
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