Pecan Pie … Oh Me Oh My! December 12, 2008

My all time favourite dessert!  I loveeeeeeeeeee savory and always prefer it to sweet, but love the sweet and salty combo even more, and this pie nails it.  Toasting the pecans adds an extra step, but it’s well worth it, for that warm and toasted rich flavour.  Ice cream or whip cream is a nice treat to serve with but I prefer the pie to have all the glory and skip anything but another piece.  Oh god I need this now.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups shelled pecan halves

1 cup golden corn syrup

1 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar

1/4 TSP salt

5 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 TSP vanilla extract

3 large eggs, at room temperature, slightly beaten

9-inch unbaked deep-dish pie shell

unsweetened whipped cream OR vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 325F/160C.

2) Spread the pecans on a large baking sheet and toast in the oven until just fragrant (about 10 minutes) and remove and let cool.

Note – you can skip this if you don’t have time or don’t what the nuts roasted, but it’s good!

3) In a large bowl, whisk together the corn syrup, sugar, salt, butter and vanilla until smooth, then whisk in the eggs.

4) Pour the mixture into pie shell and sprinkle the cooled pecans over the top.

5) Place pie on the center rack in the oven and bake for about 60-75 minute, or until the center puffs slightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (if the crust begins to brown too much during the proccess, cover it with foil).

6) Serve warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream or ice cream!