The Pecan Pie- a great American holiday classic. Wonderfully nutty pecans mingle in a maple caramel custard that sits on a buttery pastry. It's heaven in the form of a pie.
You may not know, but I was not born in America. I came to the states in my early twenties. So celebrating Thanksgiving was new to me. Also, I have never had a nut pie before either, and the idea of putting nuts in a pie was kind of absurd to me. So the first time I tried pecan pie, honestly I did not like it. It was way too sweet for me. Also, I disliked the idea of using corn syrup at all, and I was determined to find a more unrefined substitution that will work just as well. So I came up with my own version with just the right amount of sweetness, and the perfect amount of autumn spice. The result is a simply delicious, full of flavor slice of heaven!
PECAN PIE FILLING:
Ingredients:
- Β½ cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ΒΌ tsp nutmeg
- Β½ cup maple syrup
- ΒΌ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Β½ cups pecan halves (you can also make a mixture of pecans, hazelnuts, and walnuts)
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Recipe
Maple Pecan Pie
Ingredients
All Butter Pie Crust: (MAKES (1) 9- INCH DOUGH
- 1 ΒΌ cup flour
- β teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- Β½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoon vodka (alternatively use apple cider vinegar)
- 3 tablespoon ice water
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon water (for brushing the pie crust)
Pecan Pie Filling:
- Β½ cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ΒΌ teaspoon nutmeg
- Β½ cup maple syrup
- ΒΌ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Β½ cups pecan halves (you can also make a mixture of pecans, hazelnuts, and walnuts)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pie Crust: (MAKES (1) 9- INCH DOUGH) If you want to make the leaf design, please double up the pie crust ingredients! 1. In a food processor or a bowl if you are making the dough by hand, combine the flour, a pinch of salt, and the sugar. Pulse, or stir until combined.2. Add the very cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Pulse a few times until the whole mixture resembles a coarse meal (look crumbly) If you are doing this by hand, work fast so that the butter doesn't melt. Now add 5 tablespoons of the ice water mixture to the dough mixture and continue to pulse again. It will look very crumbly. This is what we want! Cut out a large piece of parchment baking paper, or plastic wrap. Layout straight, then pour your dough crumbles on top of it. With your hands bring the dough together and press firmly. You may have to add 1 more tablespoon of ice water if the dough is still falling apart at this point. Close the paper or plastic wrap up, not too tight, leaning some space for the dough to be shaped. Now press on top of the wrap and shape the dough into a flat (1-inch thickness) disk. Place the dough into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before rolling out.Preparing the Pie:After the pie crust has chilled, adjust the oven rack to the middle, and preheat the oven to 350 Β°F (180 Β°C)1. Roll out the chilled pie dough onto a floured work surface. Turn the dough disk about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Lightly press the dough into the form, making sure it is smooth. Fold the edges of the top crust behind itself, then make the edge design. Brush the edges with an egg wash. Chill for 15 minutes in the freezer.Prepare the Filling:Melt the butter. Then whisk the butter with brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg until combined. Pour the maple syrup and continue to whisk. Take your Pie shell out of the freezer, and fill it with the pecan nuts. Pour the wet ingredients over the pecans. Bake the pie for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If the edges on the top of the pie are browning too quickly, you can place some aluminum foil over the edges. Remove the finished pie from the oven. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. The pie filling will set as it cools.Slice and serve pie at room temperature. Serve ala-mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or with whipped cream if desired. Cover and store leftover pie at room temperature for up to 2 days.Note: If making a leaf design: Fill the pie shell as directed with the pecan filling, and place it into the freezer for 30 to 1 hour. In the meantime roll out your second pie disk, and cut your leaf design with a cookie cutter. I scored the veins on the leaves with a knife. Then I placed the leaves on a small baking sheet. I brushed the remaining egg wash over the leaves and placed the baking sheet into the freezer as well. When you are ready to bake the pie, assemble the leaves onto the cooled pie. That way the leaves will not sink into the pie filling. Bake as directed.
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