PECAN Pie with GRAHAM Crust dessert

PECAN pie with Graham Crust...

... with a few sweet modifications.

Missed article on: the ORIGINS of PECAN PIE?...Click Here!

Before you begin...
a few notes and suggestions:

. Use a 9 inch (23cm) pie plate

. Total baking time: 35-40 minutes

. Serves between 6-8 persons

. Pecans can easily be replaced successfully with walnuts.

. A ' Pate Brisée ' crust suits itself wonderfully to this pie.

(This will have to be placed in a ' Press-out ' pan...and only baked 3/4 of the way.)

. The thick sweet custard can be adjusted according to your sweet tooth.

A little experimenting may be required. I personally like my desserts mildly sweet.

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

 

INGREDIENTS    

(American / Metric measures)

...for Graham pie Crust:

. 1-1/2 cup (135 gr) Graham Cookie crumbs

. 1/4 cup (60 ml) butter (melted)

. 1/8 cup (30 ml) maple syrup or Agave Nectar * 

...for Custard Filling:

. 1/4 cup (60 ml) melted butter (set aside)

.............................................................................................

. 4 large eggs

. 1/2 cup (100 gr) dark brown sugar (packed)

. 1/2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup

. 1/4 cup (60ml) mild natural honey

. 1/4 cup (60ml) organic Agave Nectar * 

. 1 1/2 tsp.(7.5ml) vanilla extract

. pinch sea salt

. 1 cup (120 gr) pecans (non-roasted)

 

PREPARATION:

Set rack on 2nd shelf from bottom of the oven.

Pre-heat in order to pre-bake the crust at 350F/180C/Gas 4

...making the CRUST:

. In a blender: crush the cookies and pour in the butter as well as the sweet syrup.  Pulsate until a fairly pasty-type crumble appears.

. Spread the crumb mixture into the buttered pie plate.  With the aid of a spoon or spatula...spread and pat down the crust uniformly on the bottom and sides of pie plate.  Bake crust for about 8 minutes at 350F/180C/Gas 4.  Afterwards, Take out the pie crust to have it cool completely.

     ...IMPORTANT:  Now that the crust is made...CRANK up the oven temperature to 375F/190C/Gas 5 to get it ready to bake the complete pie.
...making the CUSTARD:

. Melt the butter ahead of time and have it cool to room temperature.  Set aside.

. In a medium bowl, BEAT together: eggs, sweeteners, vanilla extract, salt and melted butter.

ASSEMBLY

. POUR all the custard in the well cooled graham cookie crust.

. Sprinkle the pecans liberally throughout the custard's surface by slightly dipping /coating them within this mix.
. Place into the oven and bake at 375F/190C/Gas 5... for 15 minutes
. Afterwards, LOWER the temp. to 350F/180C/Gas 4... for 20 minutes more.  

. Once taken out of the oven...it can be served within the following hour at room temperature.

Note:

. If planning to eat your pie that same day or the few days to come...

  whatever you do, please remember NOT to cover the pie. 

. Leave it uncovered to avoid it becoming humid.
Voila...a slightly guiltless PECAN pie.

     

If you have a chance to try this version of
a 'classic' recipe...don't hesitate to give your feedback.

  Flavourful wishes,

Foodessa

* AGAVE NECTAR (organic):

. Here I go picking another so called ‘sugar substitute’ that is highly debated.

Until further notice, I'll still pick it as a favoured sweet ingredient...although using it in small quantities.

. As far as I have gathered...this ' honey type ' liquid is supposedly extracted from the heart of Mexican Cactus plants... just as ' sap ' is transformed from the maple tree into maple syrup.

. I prefer the darker nectar which has a slightly sweeter flavour with a subtle molasses spike.

. When buying ' Agave '... try to purchase the organic type that has been less processed with chemicals! Unfortunately, nothing being perfect in our fast paced money grabbing world...'Agave' too is treated at times like a high fructose sugar.

. Do not be fooled to think that this is less of a sugar. In reality their is NO magic sugar substitute...that would be too amazing! Sugar is sugar, however, the only thing we can do is find alternatives that please our palette as well as spiking our blood sugar levels a little less. It ranks much lower on the ' Glycemic Index ' as opposed to for example: corn syrup.

. The reality is, unless you are planning to go cold turkey on SWEETS...you will always be faced with your 'guilty pleasures'! So go ahead, have your favourite sweet, as long as you have it in moderation...we will all survive one more day.

Here's other pies that may be of interest:
- LEMON mousse frozen PIE no bake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Dulce de Leche frozen pie no bake