If there’s a pecan tree in your yard, chances are good you’ve started hearing the rat-a-tat-tat of ripe nuts plonking down on the roof. Those most noble of native Texas nuts will be dropping across San Antonio for the next several weeks, and we’re not about to miss out on the bounty.
This week we’ve baked up four variations on pecan pie — a classic corn syrup version, a fudgy chocolate pecan pie, a Mexican-inspired pecan pie made with dulce de leche and cinnamon and bourbon pecan hand pies — to celebrate that bounty.
But first, some tips.
The easiest way to coax extra flavor out of your pecan pies is to start with toasted nuts. Most of the pecans you’ll find in the store are raw. Letting them bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees with a turn or two while they cook will draw their natural flavorful oils to the surface for a more aromatic pie and will give them a better crunch that will last through the pie-baking process.
And bonus: if you happen to have more pecans than your pie recipe calls for, just toss those extra toasted nuts with a bit of salt for a indulgent treat to snack on while you bake.
On ExpressNews.com: 4 recipes for pecans that go beyond pie
Pecan pie filling, which is generally a soupy amalgamation of corn syrup, eggs and perhaps a bit of corn starch, flour or other thickening agent, can take a long time in the oven — an hour or more isn’t uncommon — to set. And that means havoc for the edges of your pie crust. A few strips of aluminum foil around the rim of the pie will help prevent the crust from burning while the filling sets. And if you plan on baking a lot of pies this fall, consider investing in a dedicated silicone or metal pie shield.
And speaking of crusts, there’s no shame in using store-bought. The frozen crusts packaged in thin metal tins work, but you’ll have to be careful to prevent them from burning. You’ll get better results from the rolled-up 9-inch pie crusts such as the Pillsbury version you’ll find in packages of two in the refrigerated food section of most H-E-B stores in the San Antonio area. Those crusts, when placed in a heavy glass or ceramic pie pan, will be flakier and less prone to burning before the pie filling sets.
As for the pies we’ve made this week, one may be a nostalgic throwback for anyone who visited the Stagecoach Inn in Salado, just north of Austin. The restaurant there used to serve a fudgy chocolate pecan pie that dropped from the menu when new ownership took over the property a few years ago. We found a recipe inspired by that version and adapted it into a pie that has a silky chocolate pudding consistency studded with toasty pecans.
On ExpressNews.com: 4 oven-free icebox pies: Margarita, chocolate, lemon and dulce de leche
We’ve also looked to Mexican celebrity chef and cookbook author Pati Jinich for pie inspiration. Her dulce de leche pecan pie laced with a generous dose of cinnamon results in a dessert that feels right at home in Texas.
If you’re on the move but can’t go without a bite of pecan pie, you’ll appreciate our pecan hand pies baked with a splash of bourbon in the filling. They’re easy to make with either puff pastry or a traditional pie crust dough, and they transform everyone’s favorite nutty dessert into a mobile treat.
And, because sometimes the classic is exactly what we’re craving, we’ve included a traditional corn syrup and brown sugar version of pecan pie from the American Pecan Council. It’s the sweet treat perfect for ending any meal during pecan season and beyond.
Recipe: Stagecoach Inn-Style Fudge Pecan Pie
Recipe: Dulce de Leche Pecan Pie
Recipe: Bourbon Pecan Hand Pies
Paul Stephen is a food and drink reporter and restaurant critic in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Paul, become a subscriber. pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen
The Link LonkOctober 15, 2020
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4 pecan pies to make now that it’s pecan season in Texas and San Antonio - San Antonio Express-News
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