Pretty Pecan Pie

I’m not the biggest pie eater.  I make a lot of them but the only time I really like to eat pie is when it is a pecan pie.  Pecans are a bit expensive but fortunately the rest of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry.  If not they are not to hard to find and definitely not going to set you back very much.

I’ve done a few blog entries on pie, on how to make a nice flaky crust, and how to make them diva pretty.  With a little patience at the end. the top of this one is studded in a star-burst of sugar sparkled toasty nuts.  This pecan pie is almost as well dressed as some of the Grammy nominees on the red carpet!

To begin, I make a pastry with my smush and swirl cutting-in of the shortening technique, I separate the dough in two halves, wrap them in plastic film and let them chill a while in the ‘fridge. When they are cold throughout again, I take one of the halves, roll it out to about a 12″ circle on a well floured surface, which fits a 9″ deep dish pie plate nicely, and begin on the pecan filling in another bowl.

For the filling I use:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar total (about 1/4 cup can be brown sugar)
• 1 cup light or dark corn syrup
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 375°.  In a mixing bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, syrup, butter, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Stir in the pecans and pour into the pastry.  The pecans will float but I like to take time to turn them all over so the outsides only show.  I further use a fork and line them up around the outside edge and another row and another in concentric circles until I only have a little flower shape in the center.  I just sink the broken pieces down into the liquid and cover them over with the whole ones.  This is a bit tedious but in the end makes an impressive design.  I think it’s worth the trouble personally because not only is it pretty, this pattern gives you some guidance when you go to slice into it.  This pie needs to bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the filling is set.

I hope you will soon be slicing into your own  pretty pecan pie this week especially for  Mardi Gras.  It is a pie fit for a king…or maybe just a diva…and the best thing is, there is another crust in the ‘fridge just waiting to be filled with something else yummy.