Maple Pecan or Walnut Pie

Pecans (Shelled and in the Shell)

By Cat, Dec 2007; updated Sept 2008 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

Includes: 1. Maple Pecan or Walnut Pie (my adaptation of the following); 2. Quick comparison of the three recipes from which my recipe is adapted

See also: 1. Pie & Tart Crusts, Pastry; 2. Pies, Tarts, Turnovers

The first nut pie I had was Washington Nut, at the Lake Cafe here in Bigfork, when I was a child. The Lake Cafe was next door to Dad’s bar, and I got many of my meals there. The head cook, Bunnie, did the baking, including all my favorites:  Washington nut pie, banana cream pie, caramel nut rolls, and carrot cookies.

Most older recipes for nut pies used corn or Karo syrup, but by the mid ’90s, corn syrup was made from GMO corn, contaminating it with toxic herbicides and pesticides with long-term harm to anyone who consumed it. We are now seeing the result of that contamination, expressing itself  in obesity, heart disease, digestive problems, and dementia. For this reason, I prefer recipes that include maple syrup instead of corn syrup.

I’ve never made a nut pie, but would like to some day, so I’m keeping the pertinent recipes here for that ‘some day.’

Maple Pecan or Walnut Pie

(Photos, below, from Wikimedia Commons: Pecans and Walnuts, respectively)

Walnut Kernel

Pecans

I’ve not yet tested this recipe, which  is adapted from three sources, for 9″ pie (see below this recipe for comparison of the three original recipes and their methods):

• “The Best Recipe” cookbook, from Cook’s Illustrated Magazine (1)
• Better Homes & Gardens (BHG), September 2008 issue (2)
• Pillsbury’s Dessert Cook Book, copyright 1970 (3)

I found a fair amount of variation in the list of ingredients and in the amounts, between these three recipes. As a starting point, I mostly choose the middle route. See text box below this recipe for quick comparison of ingredients.

Nuts:

All recipes indicate either pecans or walnuts could be used; I prefer pecans but walnuts are often easier to find in any season. All three specify toasting the coarsely chopped nuts.

I prefer to presoak my nuts overnight, to improve the availability of the nutrients, then toast them. Chop them before soaking to maximize the effect of the soak; then dry them before toasting.

Sweetener:

The amount of sweetener is a bit of a challenge because of the variety expressed:

• The Cooks recipe does not specify white vs brown sugar, so I assume white sugar is meant;
• BHG uses the most sugar of the three recipes, as part white and part packed brown sugar;
• Pillsbury uses the least sugar, as only packed brown sugar;
• All three use maple syrup.

The white vs brown is resolved by my preference for dehydrated sugar cane juice (such as Rapadura), which retains the original ratio of white sugar and molasses in sugar cane. Rapadura can’t be ‘packed’ so ½ cup of packed brown sugar would be sweeter than ½ cup of Rapadura. Since I prefer less sweetness, this is not a problem for me. If you want it sweeter, increase the amount.

I love the flavor of both molasses and maple syrup, so express the amounts of Rapadura sugar and maple syrup as ranges – the less sugar used, the more maple syrup; my ranges are as follows, with my preference in bold-blue text (because both nuts and maple syrup come from trees, I feel a synergy with emphasizing that combination):

• ⅓ – ½ cup Rapadura sugar
• 1 – 1 ¼ cup Grade B maple syrup

Choose Grade-B maple syrup for it’s rich flavor (it’s also less expensive than Grade-A Pancake syrup). Do not use maple-flavored pancake syrup – it is made from GMO corn converted to HFCS, and poses potential serious health concerns. For similar reason, I do not recommend using corn or Karo syrup. Neither tastes as good a real maple syrup, nor do they behave the same in recipes.

I would also prefer to reduce the sugar by using part stevia, but do not know if that would work since sugar plays an important role in the texture of the pie – testing will resolve that question. Refer to Stevia (about) for tips on working with this sweetener.

Miscellaneous ingredients:

The BHG recipe uses nutmeg, but I think it would fight with the maple syrup for flavor; the Pillsbury recipe thickens the pie with flour, but I don’t think that is needed; if testing reveals a thickener would help, I would use tapioca starch.

Both the Cook’s and Pillsbury recipes use salt while the BHG recipe does not. I choose to try a bit of unrefined sea salt, for the minerals and balancing effect it provides.

Method:

The three recipes also differ somewhat in method; I’ve followed the method for the Cook’s recipe because of the use of a bain marie/double boiler to cook the filling; but may need to make revisions after testing.

One dilemma has to do with whether or not to pre bake-the crust. Cook’s recipe is the only one that uses a pre-baked crust; since they are known for their extensive testing of recipes, I’d start with their recommendation. All three recipes use a standard American Pie Crust (rolled), and while I would prefer a short or crumb crust such as Pastry Brisée (pressed into pan), I will start with the standard crust, pre baked, until I get the filling perfected. And this is one case where I would use wheat flour rather than spelt.

Serves 8 or more – I recommend cutting the 9″ pie into 10 servings, as this pie is very rich.

Ingredients for 9″ Pie Pan

• Pastry for 9″ single crust pie, with sugar (either rolled or pressed pastry)
• 1 ½ cups (6 oz) pecans, chopped into small pieces, and toasted
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• ⅓ cup Rapadura sugar (or 2 Tbsp Rapadrua mixed with ⅛ tsp stevia extract powder may work)
• ⅛ – ¼ tsp Unrefined sea salt
• 3 large fresh farm eggs (or 4 small-medium)
• 1 ¼  cup grade-B maple syrup

Equipment

• cookie sheet (for drying and toasting nuts)
• 9″ pie pan
• waxed paper or baking parchment
• pie shell weights or dried beans
• double boiler *
• wooden spoon
• egg whip or hand mixer
• cooling rack

* or use a medium heatproof bowl (such as Pyrex) and a skillet or saucepan

Method

1. Chop nuts coarsely, then soak them overnight (at least 12 hours). Drain the nuts and dry them in a dehydrator, or in your oven at your lowest setting for 24 hours before toasting. If you don’t want to soak them, simply chop coarsely and proceed to next step.
2. Toast the nuts: adjust oven rack to middle position, and preheat oven to 375°F.  Scatter nuts on a cookie sheet, then toast them in oven while it preheats, 3 – 7 minutes (depending on how small they are chopped); watch them carefully, stirring them a bit from time to time, to prevent burning.  Cool nuts to lukewarm.
3. Remove eggs from fridge to allow them to warm to room temperature (this makes it easier to beat them).
4. Pour water into bottom of double boiler (or skillet/saucepan), cover and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to maintain at just below simmer, using a simmer plate.
5. Prepare partially-baked shell (see instructions below for a rolled crust)
6. Prepare filling:  while crust is pre-baking, melt butter in top of double boiler (or bowl) set over barely simmering water. When butter has melted, remove top of double boiler from bottom, covering bottom to keep water simmering.
7. Mix sugar and salt into butter with wooden spoon, until butter is absorbed.  Beat in eggs, then maple syrup.  Return top to bottom of double boiler; stir until mixture is shiny and hot to the touch, about 130°F.  Remove from heat; stir in pecans.
8. As soon as the pie shell is out of the oven (instructions below), decrease oven temperature to 275°F. and pour pecan mixture into shell.
9. Bake until center feels set, yet soft, like gelatin when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes.  (Don’t worry that the pie seems not done enough; it will continue to cook after being removed from oven).  Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours.

Detail Instructions for partially-baked pie shell:

The instructions here are for a rolled pie crust. If you choose to use Pastry Brisée or another short-crust which is pressed into the pan rather than rolled, see my pre-bake instructions at Pie Crust Challenges & Notes, under “Assemble the Pie.”

1. Prepare and roll dough, lightly press into pie pan, and flute the edges.
2. Refrigerate for 40 minutes, then freeze for 20 minutes.
3. Press a sheet of waxed paper or baking parchment onto shell, then fill with ceramic/metal pie weights, or dried beans.
4. Bake pie shell in preheated 3750 F oven, leaving weights in place until the dough dries out, about 17 minutes.
5. Carefully remove paper and weights by gathering up paper and pulling up and out.
6. Continue baking until lightly golden brown, about 9 minutes more.  Remove from oven.

Assembly or Serving Suggestions

• Serve with whipped cream or Chantilly cream (cream whipped with a bit of brandy or bourbon)

Quick Comparison of the 3 Recipes for 9″ pies

(see below the ingredients summary for each recipe’s method).

• Maple Pecan Pie (from Cooks Illustrated)
• Maple Walnut Pie (from BHG, Sept. 2008 issue (2))
• Maple Pecan or Walnut Pie (Pillsbury’s Dessert Cook Book (3))

Method: Maple Pecan Pie (from Cooks Illustrated)

1. Chop pecans then soak them overnight; next day, dry them in a dehydrator or oven at lowest setting.
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position, and preheat oven to 375°F.  Scatter nuts on a cookie sheet, then toast them in oven while it preheats, 3 – 7 minutes (depending on how small they are chopped); watch them carefully, stirring them a bit from time to time, to prevent burning.  Cool nuts to lukewarm.
3. Prepare partially-baked shell (see instructions below)
4. Meanwhile, prepare filling:  Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water, maintained at just below simmer.  Remove bowl from skillet; cover skillet to keep water simmering.  Mix sugar and salt into butter with wooden spoon, until butter is absorbed.  Beat in eggs, then maple syrup.  Return bowl to simmering water; stir until mixture is shiny and hot to the touch, about 130⁰ F.  Remove from heat; stir in pecans. Alternately you can use a double boiler, melting butter and mixing with the other ingredients in the top portion set over boiling water in the bottom portion.
5. As soon as the pie shell is out of the oven (instructions below), decrease oven temperature to 275°F. and pour pecan mixture into shell.
6. Bake until center feels set, yet soft, like gelatin when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes.  (Don’t worry that the pie seems not done enough; it will continue to cook after being removed from oven).  Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours.

Method: Maple Walnut Pie (from BHG, Sept. 2008 issue (2))

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare pastry and line 9-inch pie plate. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with fork. Line pastry with double thickness of foil. Bake 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 5 minutes more or until crust is lightly browned cool. Reduce oven to 350°F.
2. In saucepan bring maple syrup to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup.
3. In medium bowl beat eggs with electric mixer on medium to high speed until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes.
4. In large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated and brown sugar; beat to combine. Beat in reduced syrup and eggs. Fold in walnuts, vanilla, rum, and nutmeg. Pour into prebaked crust.
5. Bake pie on baking sheet in lower third of oven 35 minutes or until set around edges; cool. Serve with ice cream. Makes 10 servings.

Method: Maple Pecan or Walnut Pie (Pillsbury’s Dessert Cook Book (3))

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare pastry shell; do not pre-bake.
3. In large mixing bowl, combine eggs, amply syrup, sugar, starch and vanilla. Beat well.
4. Stir in pecans and melted butter. Pour into unbaked pastry shell.
5. Bake at 350°F for 30 – 35 minutes until center of pie is puffed and golden brown. Cool before serving.

References

1. The Best Recipe cookbook, from Cook’s Illustrated
2. Better Homes & Gardens, September 2008 issue (bhg.com/recipe/pies/maple-nut-pie)
3. Pillsbury’s Dessert Cook Book, copyright 1970