Pecan
Pie may be the American South's most famous dessert but its history
is unclear. What we know is that recipes started to appear in the
mid 1920s, and Jean Anderson tells us in her book "The American
Century Cookbook" that since the classic Pecan Pie recipe contains
Karo syrup, there is a good chance that the pie was invented by a
Karo Economist. Now, a classic Pecan Pie is a single crust pie with
a soft and gooey filling that is rich with sugar, corn syrup,
butter, eggs, and pecans. Southerners often add a splash of bourbon
or rum to the filling which enhances the slightly bittersweet,
almost caramel-like flavor of the pecans and also counteracts the
sweetness of the pie. This recipe deviates from the original only in
that we add melted unsweetened chocolate.
Chocolate Pecan Pie has the same pastry crust as the other Pecan Pie
recipe on the site. Pate Brisee (short crust pastry) has a crumbly texture
and wonderful buttery flavor that pairs well with the sweet pecan filling.
The pastry crust is not pre baked since the pie is going to be baked in
the lower third of the oven. You will, however, need to watch
for over browning on the edges of the crust, and if this starts to
happen, just cover the edges with foil.
Pecan Pie is, of course, all about the filling. The chopped pecans used
in the filling are toasted which enhances their flavor and to give the pie
a more decorative look, whole pecan halves are placed on top of the
filling. The filling is unusual in that we add melted unsweetened
chocolate, which is also known as baking, plain or bitter chocolate. It is
chocolate in its rawest form and does not contain sugar so that is why the
filling has more than the normal amount of sugar. Unsweetened chocolate
(the type that comes in individually wrapped one ounce squares) can be
found in
your local grocery store, or my personal favorite is Scharffen Berger's
unsweetened chocolate that you can find in most specialty food stores.
This filling is easy to prepare as the ingredients are just mixed together
in one large bowl. This makes for a soft and gooey filling but if you want
a more dense textured filling, heat the sugar, corn syrup, rum, and butter
until boiling, stirring constantly. Then remove from heat, let cool until
tepid and then whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Once the filling is made it is poured
over the chopped pecans, decorated with the whole pecan halves, and baked in a moderate oven until the
filling is puffed but still wobbly. Serve warm or at room
temperature with plenty of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Pate Brisee: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process
until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse
meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream,
through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If
necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic
wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.
After the dough has chilled sufficiently,
place on a lightly floured
surface, and roll into a 13 inch (33 cm) circle. (To prevent the
pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep
lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from
the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold
the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm)
pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and tuck the overhanging
pastry under itself. Use a fork to make a decorative
border or else crimp the
edges using your fingers. Freeze the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, for
about 15 minutes before pouring in
the filling.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180
degrees C). Place the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
Pecan Filling:
To toast Pecans - Place 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) of pecans on a baking
sheet and bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and
fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
In a stainless steel
(heatproof) bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the
chopped chocolate. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk
the eggs, and then whisk in the sugar, corn syrup, melted butter,
vanilla extract, and salt. Then stir in the cooled melted chocolate.
Remove the chilled
pastry crust from the freezer and evenly distribute the chopped
pecans over the bottom of the crust. Pour the filling
evenly over the nuts. Arrange the whole pecans in a decorative
pattern on top of the filling. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet
and bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until
the filling has puffed but is still wobbly when gently shaken. (If you find the edges of the pie crust
are over browning during baking, cover with foil.) Remove from
oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room
temperature with whipping cream or vanilla ice cream.
Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.
Sources:
Anderson, Jean. 'The
American Century Cookbook'. Clarkson Potter/Publishers. New York:
1997.
Barker, Karen. 'Sweet
Stuff'. The University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill: 2004.
Beranbaum, Rose Levy. 'The
Pie and Pastry Bible'. Scribner. New York: 1998.
Smith, Art. 'Back to
the Table'. Hyperion. New York: 2001.
Thorne, John and Lewis
Thorne, Matt. 'Outlaw Cook'. Farrar Straus Giroux. New York:
1992.
Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry):
1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose
flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated
white sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams)
unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces
1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 - 60 ml) ice
water
Pecan Filling:
1 1/2 cups (150 grams) pecans,
toasted and coarsely chopped
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