Pecan Pie Menu:
1. Mom's Pecan Pie
2. Mystery Pecan Pie
We had quite a few discussions around our tasting table trying to choose a grand
pecan pie recipe. Each of us had a special way to serve it--whether warm, cold,
with or without ice cream or whipped cream. Believe us when we say we tasted a
lot of pecan pies. Test Kitchens staffer James Schend prepared every version. In
the end, we decided it all comes down to the pie you had growing up. We hope you
and your family will enjoy these recipes.
Picture-Perfect Pie
To prevent the filling from seeping under the crust, our recipes call for using
two crusts and stacking them. Here's how.
1. Unfold one piecrust and press out fold lines.
2. Unfold second crust and stack on top, turning so that fold lines do not
match. Press edges to seal.
3. Roll crust out to an approximate 12-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch pieplate.
Trim dough to about ½ inch from edge of pieplate, fold under, and flute or
crimp as desired.
Tips from the Test Kitchens
Here are our secrets to making a perfect pecan pie.
- Prepare the crust first, and then the filling. The longer the filling stands,
the more "separated" the filling may appear after baked.
- Substitute chopped pecans for whole if desired. It's an equal substitution--1
cup whole pecans equals 1 cup chopped.
- Shield edges of pie with foil to prevent over-browning. Fold a 12-inch square
of foil into quarters to cut a 7-inch circle from center; discard the center
portion. Unfold the square and place over the top of pie.
- Preheat baking sheet, on lowest rack, in oven as it preheats. Bake pie on the
preheated baking sheet on the lowest oven rack to crisp the bottom crust.
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