What a divine nut. No folks, I wasn’t talking about myself. I was talking about the pecans in my Golden Pecan Pie. Oh me, oh my, this pie is such a glorious treat.

Want another treat? Look for the Giveaway ALERT! for a chance to win a bar of The Herb Room soap!
GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

The best thing about this pie is – drum roll please – yep, the PECANS.  Pecans are not only delicious but here in the south they are a kitchen staple.   If you are fortunate enough to live in Bastrop, the Texas hill country, or have your own pecan tree(s) nearby like my brother and his family, you would most likely just pick a pecan tree on your street and start feasting.

This is pure Golden Pecan Pie.  Simple, soul soothing, and a family favorite.  We serve it year round – I double dare you to do the same.  Give it a try. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Have on hand one unbaked pie shell prepared in 9″ glass deep-dish pie dish.

Other essentials are corn syrup, pure maple syrup, agave syrup or honey. Of course the agave nectar is optional. I think it adds a little somethin’, somethin’.

You will also need white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt,

eggs, butter, a bit o’  flour AND the best part

pecans, baby! You will need 2 cups pecans – 1 cup whole and 1 cup broken or chopped pieces.

Pecans are not only delicious, they are also nutritious. They are high in protein, unsaturated fats and omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids!  These are the good fats or “essential” fatty acids that are good for our bodies.

Besides all of the above, pecans are a no nonsense food and they taste oh so good. So let’s get to it!

Start with 2 Tablespoons butter.

You will want it melted, so zap it in the microwave or place in a warm oven.

To the melted butter add the “specialty” syrups.  You will want 2 Tablespoons total.  I used 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup and 1 Tablespoon wonderful Agave nectar,

which is a nice natural sweetener. Another ingredient that is better for you than sugar.  But we’ll save that for another time…

Just add it in

and measure out 1 ¼ cups corn syrup.

Add that to the buttery syrup mixture.

Now it’s time to add ½ cup brown sugar

and ½ cup white sugar -

just dump it in.  Pretty simple. Now just one more essential ingredient before we mix -

¼ teaspoon salt.

Now get ready to mix it on medium until all the sugars and syrups are incorporated.

Add 3 eggs to sugary syrup mixture.

I like to add my eggs one at a time.  Don’t ask me why?  But you of course are free to crack ‘em all in at once.

And beat until

you have this nice golden creamy goodness – the base for your lovely pecans.

To this mix in 1 ½ teaspoons flour

blend it up well. Now add

1 tsp. vanilla.

Give it one last whirl, then cover and set aside for about an hour.

Now on to the pie crust.  Prepare or roll it into a 9″ deep dish pie plate.

Place 1 cup pecan pieces in the bottom of the pie shell.

Now it’s time to trim the crust.  I just use a pair of kitchen scissors.  You want about a 1″ overhang.

Now for the real treat.  My mom will show you how to perfectly flute the edges.

See her technique? Take the edge and fit the outside index finger into the groove of your pinched fingers.  My mom is so good.  She is the pecan pie fluting goddess – did I mention the goddess of rolling out dough, and making dough and sewing quilts?  Oh yeah we’ll get to that later, let’s continue.

See! Perfect fluted edges.  After the syrup has been sitting for an hour it’s time to

pour it over the pecan pieces.

Now the fun part.  Use the cup of whole pecans to decorate the top of the pie.

Like this!  Isn’t this absolutely gorgeous?  It’s now time to bake in a 350° oven for 55 minutes, until the center of the pie is puffed and golden brown and a knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean.

Take out of oven and let cool. This cooling period gives the syrups and sugars time to work their magic.

Giveaway ALERT! Please don’t mind “the smudge.”

But if you do mind and find “the smudge” there may be a prize in it for you.  Let’s play find “the smudge.” Look closely. The first person to find all “the smudge” marks in my holiday pie baking pictures wins a bar of The Herb Room soap of your choice. Here’s a hint: I think it happened sometime during the Old Fashioned Apple Pie.  Thus, “the smudge” is delicious  pie goo on my lens.

How to Enter: Look for “the smudge” in the three holiday pie posts. Count how many pics you find with “the smudge” and if you’re the first to get it right – you’re the winner. Just post your answers in the Comments section of this post. I’ll announce the winner as soon as someone gets it right. If no one gets it right, the first closest guess wins and will be announced by January 15, 2010. Winners will be notified by email. Good Luck!!

Update: GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Thanks to all of you that entered!  Stay tuned for more chances to win…

Hello Golden Pecan Pie goodness.

You look, magically

delicious.  Just add a wee bit of that Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

and h-e-l-l-o.

Once again, I must show you, ’cause I like to share

that I am a pecan nut.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

 Printable Recipe

Golden Pecan Pie

1 unbaked Sure Fire Pie Crust shell
9” glass deep-dish pie dish

2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup, honey or agave you can use a mixture of one or all three
1 ¼ cups corn syrup
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups pecans – 1 cup pecan halves and 1 cup broken or chopped pecan pieces

Mix together the syrups, sugars and melted butter, and then mix in the eggs, flour, salt and vanilla. Let the mixture stand for 1 hour. Place the pecan pieces in the bottom of an unbaked prepared pie crust. Pour the syrup filling over the pecan pieces and decorate & cover using the whole pecan halves.

Bake in 350° for 55 minutes, until center of pie is puffed and golden brown and a knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. If the crust is browning too quickly place foil around edges of pie to protect the crust. Let pie cool completely. Serve straight up, with whipped cream or a la ice cream.

Enjoy!

Zestfully yours,
Robyn