Pumped Up Pecan Pie Food

PECAN PIE

Steps:

• Make the dough by hand: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles yellow cornmeal mixed with bean-sized bits of butter. (If the flour/butter mixture gets warm, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before proceeding.) Add the egg and stir the dough together with a fork or by hand in the bowl. If the dough is dry, sprinkle up to a tablespoon more of cold water over the mixture.
• Alternatively, make the dough in a food processor. With the machine fitted with the metal blade, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles yellow cornmeal mixed with bean-sized bits of butter, about 10 times. Add the egg and pulse 1 to 2 times; don't let the dough form into a ball in the machine. (If the dough is very dry add up to a tablespoon more of cold water.) Remove the bowl from the machine, remove the blade, and bring the dough together by hand.
• Form the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan and trim the edges, leaving about an extra inch hanging over the edge. Tuck the overhanging dough underneath itself to form a thick edge that is even with the rim. Flute the edge as desired. Freeze the pie shell for 30 minutes.
• Set separate racks in the center and lower third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Put a piece of parchment paper or foil over the pie shell and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake on a baking sheet on the center rack until the dough is set, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and lift sides of the parchment paper to remove the beans. Continue baking until the pie shell is lightly golden brown, about 10 more minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• While the crust is baking make the filling: In medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and stirring constantly, continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts, bourbon, and the vanilla. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. (If the crust has cooled, return it to the oven for 5 minutes to warm through.) Whisk the beaten eggs into the filling until smooth. Put the pie shell on a sheet pan and pour the filling into the hot crust.
• Bake on the lower oven rack until the edges are set but the center is still slightly loose, about 40 to 45 minutes. (If the edges get very dark, cover them with aluminum foil half way during baking.) Cool on a rack. Serve slightly warm or room temperature.

PUMPED-UP PECAN PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees, fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate, flute edges.
• Reserve 1/2 cup mixed nuts and 1/4 cup dried cranberries in a bowl.
• Coarsely chop remaining nuts and cranberries: spread evenly over in crust.
• Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, both syrups, flour and butter in a mediun bowl until well blended; pour over nut mixture.
• Decoratively place reserved nuts and cranberries on top of pie.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes until set, (if crust browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil), remove to rack to cool,enjoy.

PECAN PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the pie crust by rolling it out and crimping the edge to form a highstanding rim.
• For the pecan filling, whisk the eggs in a bowl until foamy. Stir in the corn syrup or maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and pecans. Spread the pecan filling over the bottom of the pie crust. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the filling is set and slightly puffed.
• Meanwhile, whisk the eggs for the pumpkin filling and stir in the pumpkin puree, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and vanilla until well blended.
• When the pecan filling has set, remove it from the oven. Pour the pumpkin filling over the pecan layer and bake for about 40 minutes, until the pumpkin layer is set in the middle.
• Decorate by pressing toasted pecan halves around the outside edge of the pie. Cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PECAN PIE

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry. Use the pastry to line a 23cm tart tin, keeping any off-cuts in case you need to fill any cracks after blind-baking. Prick the base of the pastry case with a fork and chill for 30 mins, or until firm.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line the pastry case with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and bake for 15-20 mins until the sides are set. Remove the beans and parchment and return the tin to the oven for 5-10 mins until the pastry is golden and the base is set. Leave to cool.
• Increase oven to 200C/190C fan/gas 6. Use an electric whisk to beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Keep the beaters going and pour in both of the syrups. Gradually add the eggs, ¼ tsp salt and the vanilla, then whisk until combined. Stir through the pecans, then pour the mixture into the tart case. Bake for 10 mins. Turn heat down to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and continue baking for 30-35 mins (the pie should be golden brown and the filling should wobble a little in the centre when shaken). Leave to cool in the tin. You'll probably need to run a knife around the tin to lift out the pie. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.