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Skip’s Heart of Dixie Pecan Pie

Source of Recipe

My friend, Skip


Recipe Introduction

My MIL, Jo, asked me to make a pecan pie for Thanksgiving 2011. With all of the baking and cooking that I’ve done over the years, I’d never made a pecan pie. Momma’s best friend, Gerry, always made them when I was a kid and Jo (pie maker extraordinaire – Jessica comes by it naturally) always made them since I’ve been with Mike’s family. I remembered this delicious looking pecan pie that Skip made on Cookskorner.com awhile back and decided to try it. HUGE success. Everyone loved the pie. Jess and Maddie were especially enamored of it. It turns out just gorgeous and the cocoa in the crust is wonderful. I loved working with the cooky dough-like crust. It was easy to press into the pan and fluting was a breeze. I imagine I’ll be asked to make this again! Thanks to Skip – I can always anticipate success with his recipes. UPDATE (11/2017) Skip informs me that he sometimes adds 8 oz. of chopped chocolate to the pie with the chopped pecans. Sounds good - I'll be trying that! NOTE: When I made this pie for Thanksgiving 2021, it was a bit runny in the middle and almost curdled farther out. Shain at eG suggested I add 2-3 t. corn or potato starch to the cold syrup to help prevent this.

List of Ingredients

1 batch of Pate Sucre Crust (recipe below)

1 cup dark corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbs unsalted butter
3 large eggs
Pinch salt
2-3 Tbs bourbon
2 cups of pecans (one cup of chopped pieces, one cup of halves)



Recipe

Mix corn syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Heat on low and bring to a boil without stirring. Remove from burner, add the butter and allow to melt.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Mix in the salt and bourbon. Whisk in the syrup mixture. Do not overmix. Cool while preparing the crust.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack on the lowest level.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle. Place it in a regular pie pan and press in place. Trim edge of dough to a 1/2-inch overhang, fold under and flute. Place the pie pan on a sheet pan. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the crust. Arrange the pecan halves in concentric circles on top of the chopped nuts. Skim any foam off of the corn syrup mixture and SLOWLY pour it over the pecans, being careful to not mess up your arrangement. Press lightly on the pecan halves so that they are submerged. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the crust is thoroughly cooked and the filling is set and puffed. Cool pie and serve warm or at room temperature.

PATE SUCRE CRUST

1 cup (4.5 oz) all-purpose unbleached flour
2 tbs of non-alkalized cocoa powder
3 tbs sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
4 tbs (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter – cut up into 16 pieces
1 large egg

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut the chilled butter pieces into the dry ingredients. Toss a couple of times. Using your hands or a pastry blender, break down the butter until the mixture resembles coarse-ground cornmeal. Make sure to occasionally scoop down into the bottom of the bowl to assure uniformity. Beat the egg in a bowl and pour over the flour and butter mixture. With a fork, stir until the mixture begins to hold together, but still appears a little dry. Lightly flour a work surface, place the dough on it and knead it 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth.

Press into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least an hour.

TO MIX THE DOUGH IN A FOOD PROCESSOR: Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of the processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse 3 times for a second each time. Add the butter and pulse 15 times for one second each time. Add the egg and pulse 10 more times for one second each time. Proceed with the regular directions

NOTE: If your crust ingredients are MUCH too dry and you need to add more moisture just try sprinkling with one teaspoon at a time of ice-cold vodka, stirring with a fork until it comes together properly.