grifyn's pecan pie recipe

[azurelunatic]

This is the very basic, no frills pecan pie recipe.

Preheat oven: 350°

For the crust:
1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening
cold water

Mix the flour with the salt. Then dump the shortening in and either use a pastry blender (a little gadget that looks like a distended wisk with a wooden handle on top) or two table knives to cut the shortening in until the clumps of shortening are the size of a pea. Then add cold water a tablespoon at a time until all of the mixture is moist and can be rolled into a ball.

Use a sifter to lightly flour a surface for rolling. Dust a little flour on both your hands and the rolling pin. Place the ball of pastry crust on the lightly flour surface and flatten it a little with your hands. Then take the rolling pin and -- from the center -- start rolling towards the edges until you have a circle that's about 12" across. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and start draping the crust over an ungreased 9" x1-1/2" pie tin (preferrable not a shiny one). The crust should protrude over the edge of the tin about half an inch. Tuck the protruding part under the crust around the edge of the pan. Crimp a pattern in the edge of the crust if you like. I like to make a fluted edge on pies.

Set the prepared crust aside.

The filling:
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c. light corn syrup (Karo is the popular brand)
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla (I used Madagascar vanilla and I'm wondering how it will change the flavor, but any pure vanilla extract will do)
1/3 c. butter, melted
1-1/4 c. pecans (pieces or halves)

Mix all but the pecans in a medium mixing bowl. When you've got the other ingredients combined well, stir the pecans in.

Place the prepared pie crust WITHOUT FILLING on the oven rack you'll be using. Then pour the filling into the pie tin. (If you spill pecan pie filling in your oven, it will burn and you'll be smelling scorched pecans in your sleep for several weeks to come.) Cover the crust edge with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes. When a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean, remove the pie and place it on a wire rack (I used a makeshift one of small loaf pans; just make sure the bottom of the tin has some ventilation. If you put pies, cookies, etc. on a flat surface, they'll cook a bit longer). When it cools enough to cut, you've got pecan pie. And pecan pie, in this instance, equals power.

Power indeed. The power to CHARM AND SEDUCE! HA!

Comments

[sionainn.livejournal.com]

I'd still do a shortcut and use pre-made pie crust. They actually make some where it's folded into quarters and frozen. When you thaw it and lay in in a pie tin you can still crimp the edges and make it look homemade. It's just as good as any you can make homemade and saves you time/effort. Besides, good pie crust is difficult to get right on the first try. Better to go with something you KNOW will be good. (IMHO)

[azurelunatic]

I've actually made pie crust before; it's generally delicious. I did a lot of baking with Mama, when I was still a little fayoumis.

It's the lack of counter space that's the bitch. That, and my back. Ow.