Pecan Pie

I managed to capture a picture of the last slice...

This month actually has TWO from scratch baking items. Holler for a dollar!

Firstly, came a dessert request from Jake - Pecan Pie. Now, as surprising it may be, I've never made any type of pie before, so I was a little nervous about making a crust from scratch. I tried to avoid this step by looking for a pecan pie-esque dessert, but my attempts to do so were quickly squashed by Jake, who demanded requested that I make a traditional one.

After searching around for a few recipes, I found one that used no corn syrup and decided to use that one. Not that this pie was "healthier" for the omission of such an item - the recipe still calls for two cups of brown sugar - but corn syrup doesn't add any real flavor, and I knew I could get the sweetness it adds from a more flavorful ingredient.

I found the recipes for both the pie crust and the pie filling on Bon Appétit's website. The crust was a lot easier to make than I was expecting, and makes enough dough for a double crust, or two pies. I only had to use the one, so the other is relaxing in my freezer for another day.

I altered the pie recipe a bit - opting for bourbon instead of scotch and electing to toast the pecans a bit first. The end result was a delicious (although not the most aesthetically pleasing) pecan pie. Next time I bake the crust, I'll keep the pie weights in a bit longer in an attempt to keep the crust from folding in as it did (I altered the directions below to how I would do it next time). The flavor was wonderful!

Pie Crust

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening 
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. sugar 
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt 

Directions:

Combine flour, butter, vegetable shortening, sugar, and salt in a food processor until butter resembles tiny pebbles, about 25 seconds.

Transfer to a large bowl. Gradually add 3/4 cup ice water, using a fork to stir until dough is a mixture of clumpy wet pieces and sandier pieces, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dry. Press plastic wrap over surface of dough. Chill in the bowl at least 1 hour or over night.

Preheat oven to 375°. Divide dough into two equal portions. Wrap one portion and refrigerate or freeze for later use. Roll out other dough into a 13-14" disc. To transfer to the pie dish, lightly fold the dough in half, and then in half again, and place over dish. Unfold the dough and press against the sides, cutting off the excess, but leaving enough to make the crust finish you desire. Prick the crust all over with a fork. Line crust with foil or parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 30-35 minutes.

Remove from oven; lift out foil and weights. Reduce temperature to 350°. Return to oven and bake until crust is light golden brown, 10 minutes longer.

Pecan Pie Filling

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (packed) dark brown sugar 
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted 
• 1 tablespoon bourbon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 2 cups pecan halves

Directions:

Keep the oven at 350°. Toast the pecans in a dry pan to release some of the oils. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, butter, bourbon, vanilla, and cinnamon in until relatively smooth. Mix in nuts. Pour filling into dough-lined dish.

Bake pie until filling is slightly puffed and set in center, about 40 minutes. Check the pie halfway through and every so often after that to ensure that the edges are not browning too quickly. If they are, you can cover them with foil. Cool pie completely at room temperature. It's accompanied wonderfully by whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream.

Enjoy!