In this corn syrup-free pie, pecans nestle in a crackly crust and soft brown-sugar base. A Southern recipe from my friend Jenny, a master baker like her mom and grandma before her.
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9″ pie shell
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1/2 teaspoon if using unsalted butter)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix sugars and flour. Add remaining ingredients except pecans, beating very well. (A pie not mixed well enough may end up with a layer of sugar at the bottom of the filling – check the filling by rubbing a bit between your fingers to make sure the sugars have dissolved.)
- Mix nuts into filling and pour into unbaked 9″ pie shell. Bake on center rack in oven until crust is golden and pie filling puffy, about 40-45 minutes. The filling should not be jiggly when you move the pie – if it is, leave it in the oven a few more minutes (cover with foil if your crust is getting too brown). Cool completely, at least four hours. The pie will deflate as it cools.
Notes
- Jenny uses less (around 2/3 cup) pecans in her excellent pies. Use more or less, depending on your taste.
- Add a tablespoon of brandy, rum or bourbon for a more spirited pie.
- Pecan pie keeps well at room temperature for several days.
- Pre-baking option: It’s an extra step, but pre-baking the pie crust helps keep it from getting soggy. Bake at 350 degrees F for 9-10 minutes, enough to partially cook but not enough to brown it. Then bake the filled pie at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes (the lower temperature will help the crust from getting too dark).
Here’s a link back to the post and pictures.
