Pecan Pies

Pecan pies are, without doubt, one of the most beloved of all pies that you can have. As such, you can find this type of pie in just about every restaurant, cafe, and diner around. Why wait till you can go out to dinner to have some when you can always make it yourself. Pecan pies aren't all that difficult to make, and can be a great tasting treat for you and your family.

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup white sugar (granulated)
• 1 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 cup medium sized chopped pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup ground roasted pecans
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (preferably unsalted)
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Enough of your favorite pie crust dough for a 8-1/2 inch to 9 inch pie tin

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven. Set the temperature on your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then turn the oven on. This will allow your oven to heat up, and be ready for your baking needs by the time that you are finished with the rest of the recipe.
2. Beat the eggs. In a large mixing bowl begin beating the eggs. Ideally you can do this by using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment. If you don't have a whisk attachment don't worry, it will still work just fine with you using the regular mixing attachments. Use high speed, and continue to mix until the eggs are all frothy. This will usually take about one minute.
3. Add some ingredients. When your eggs are ready, begin slowly adding some of the other ingredients. As you add the sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, vanilla, and the ground pecans, have the speed on your mixer set to medium.
4. Beat again. Continue to mix until the ingredients are completely mixed. This will usually take you only a minute or two at most.
5. Stir in the pecans. After you have finished adding and mixing all the ingredients, you can then begin stirring in the rest of the pecan pieces. Do this by hand using either spoon, spatula or a knife. Set the filling aside briefly while you lay out the dough.
6. Lay out the dough. Roll out your favorite dough, and then turn a pie tin upside down over it. Using a sharp knife trim around the pie tin, leaving about 1/4 to 3/4 inch space ( your preference) around the edge of the tin. This extra amount will allow you to fit the dough properly into the bottom of the tin, which you should do when you are finished trimming the dough.
7. Pour the filling. Pour the filling into the pie crust, and then lightly bang the tin on the counter a couple of times. This will help to even out the filling in the pie crust. If necessary, use a silicone spatula to help spread and even out the filling.
8. Bake. Place the uncooked pie into the preheated oven, and allow it to bake for about 40 minutes.
9. Reduce and bake. After the time has passed, reduce the temperature setting from 350 degrees to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the pie to continue baking for another 30 to 40 minutes. You will know that the pie is finished when the filling has turned a dark brown on top, and the crust becomes a light golden brown in color.
10. Remove and cool. When the pie has finished baking, remove it from the oven. Place the pie onto a wire rack, and then allow it to cool for at least an hour before you serve it.

Once you have allowed the pecan pie to cool, you can go ahead and serve it. Ideally, the pie should still be a bit warm, perhaps just above room temperature. A great serving idea for pecan pie is to serve it with a bit of ice cream either on the side, or on top. While you can use whatever type of ice cream you want the two best flavors are vanilla and chocolate. Enjoy!