Pecan Pie

I have been putting my pecan cracker to good use the past couple of weeks since there is a bumper crop of pecans here this year. And, this weekend some recently shelled ones went to good use for our first pecan pie of the season. NOTE: This recipe calls for using the sugar substitute, Splenda®, and light corn syrup. Sure, there’s still calories, just less of them.

Today, the term bumper crop has come to refer to any unexpected windfall. It’s usually associated with a large harvest of agricultural products that over spilled containers used to ship them to market. It is thought to have started in the 1700s when people referred to large swellings as bumpers.  These origins  may explain why automobile fronts are called “bumpers.”

Pecan Pie with Splenda®

This recipe uses a single 8 or 9-inch pie crust. You can use a pre-made refrigerated crust or make one I opted to try my own – see below.

Preheat oven to 350°

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 C Splenda® brown sugar blend, firmly packed
• ¾ C light corn syrup
• 2 TBSP butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ C pecan halves
• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

1. Combine eggs, Splenda®, corn syrup, butter and vanilla and mix until blended.
2. Stir in pecan halves and pour filling into pie shell.
3. Bake 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Couldn’t resist showing the pie baking. Cool on wire rack and serve warm – great with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Indulge!

Just for fun – WHAT was I thinking? – I decided to make a pie crust as this recipe only calls for a single crust.
OOPS, forgot to mention that we were out of the Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts that come in so handy.This recipe is from the Betty Crocker Cookbook – a great all-purpose resource. Making the crust work was a bit tricky, at first since the dough kept sticking to the rolling pin and/or pastry board. I am not a pie crust maker, but this attempt finally worked.

Standard Pastry ( 8 or 9 inch one crust pie)

• 1 C all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/3 C plus 1 TBSP shortening
• 2 to 3 TBSP cold water

1. Measure flour and salt into bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly.
2. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl. (Add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of water if needed.)
3. Gather dough into a ball and shape into flattened round on lightly floured board. (Note: If the pastry is sticking badly and you have time, refrigerate for a short time and try again. Grenville said this works for him)
4. Roll dough 2 inches larger than inverted pie pan (helps to put some flour on the rolling pin too as mine does not have a cloth cover as called for in the cookbook).
5. Fold pastry into quarters, unfold, and ease into pie plate. (This was the tricky part for me.)
6. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pan. Fold and roll pastry under, even with pan. Fill and bake as directed in recipe.

Once the pecan filling was added and baked, the results looked good enough to eat. The real taste test will come later tonight when Grenville and some friends sample it. Everyone is invited !