Pie and Pastry Bible (85 page)

In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the egg yolks, syrup, brown sugar, butter, cream, and salt. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and without letting the mixture boil, until it is uniform in color and just begins to thicken slightly (160°F. on a candy thermometer), 7 to 10 minutes. Strain at once into the small bowl and stir in the vanilla.

Slowly pour the filling over the nuts, coating their upper surface.

Place a foil ring (see page 19) on top of the crust to prevent overbrowning and bake for about 20 minutes or until the filling is puffed and golden and just beginning to bubble around the edges. The filling will shimmy slightly when moved. Allow the pie to cool completely on a rack, about 45 minutes, before unmolding from the pan (see page 251).

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE LACE TOPPING

In a small microwave-proof bowl, or the top of a double boiler set over hot, not simmering, water, place the chopped chocolate. (Do not allow the water to touch the bottom of the upper container.) Heat the chocolate, stirring often, until melted and remove it from the heat; if using a microwave, stir every 15 seconds.

Pour the cream on top of the chocolate and stir until smooth. It should drop thickly from a spoon. If it is too thick, add a little bourbon or a little more heavy cream.

Pour the mixture into a reclosable quart-size freezer bag and close it securely. Use it at once to pipe onto the cooled pie. To pipe: Cut off a very small piece from one corner of the bag and drizzle lines of chocolate back and forth over the top of the pecans, first in one direction (front to back) and then the other (side to side) to form a lacy design of chocolate webbing.

Serve with cræme fraîche or bourbon whipped cream.

HOLIDAY PECAN STRIPS

For large dinner parties, such as at Thanksgiving, it is very convenient for serving to bake this recipe in two 14- by 4½-inch rectangular tart forms. (Roll each piece of dough to 18 inches by 8 inches.) The recipe for both the crust and the filling needs to be increased by one and a half. The pastry shells need to be prebaked for 20 minutes before removing the parchment and weights, then pricked and baked 7 minutes more or until golden brown. The filling takes the same amount of time.

STORE

Room temperature, up to 1 week.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

Using refiner’s syrup and unrefined light brown sugar makes a real difference in excellence of flavor.

Be sure to check the pie toward the end of the baking time to prevent overbaking and keep the filling from drying.

CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

(Baked in a Tart Pan)

F
or people who find even my less sweet Pecan Pie too sweet, or who are hopeless chocolate lovers, this is the answer. Cocoa perfectly tempers the sweetness of the filling and adds a full chocolate flavor that goes so well with pecans. If correctly baked, the filling, when cut, is soft and slightly molten.

The surface of the pie is unusually appealing. Unlike the regular pecan pie where you can see clearly the shape of each nut, this filling cloaks the nuts with a dark milk-chocolaty glisten so you can just make out their shape.

OVEN TEMPERATURE: 350°F. • BAKING TIME: 20 TO 25 MINUTES SERVES: 8
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
	VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
Refiner’s syrup adds a special mellow flavor.
Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust for a 9½-inch tart (page 29), prebaked	11 ounces	312 grams
pecan halves	1½ cups	5.25 ounces	150 grams
unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed	cup (lightly spooned)	1 ounce	30 grams
4 large egg yolks	2 full fluid ounces	2.6 ounces	74 grams
Lyle’s Golden Syrup (refiner’s syrup)* or dark corn syrup	liquid cup, lightly greased	4 ounces	113 grams
light brown sugar	½ cup, packed	3.75 ounces	108 grams
unsalted butter, softened	4 tablespoons	2 ounces	57 grams
heavy cream	¼ liquid cup	2 ounces	58 grams
salt	a pinch	•	•
vanilla extract	1 teaspoon	•	4 grams
optional: Cræme Fraîche, unsweetened (page 558) or bourbon whipped cream, unsweetened (page 551)	1 cup	•	•

EQUIPMENT

A 9½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom

Make the dough (page 29). Roll, shape, and prebake it (see page 251).

Preheat the oven to 350°F. at least 15 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the lowest level before prebaking.

Arrange the pecans, top sides up, in the bottom of the baked crust.

In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine the cocoa, egg yolks, syrup, brown sugar, butter, cream, and salt. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and without letting the mixture boil, until it is smooth and uniform in color and hot to the touch (115° to 120°F. on a candy thermometer), about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a small bowl and stir in the vanilla.

Slowly pour the filling over the nuts, coating their upper surface.

Place a foil ring (see page 19) on top of the crust to prevent overbrowning and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the filling is puffed but still soft enough to
shimmy like jelly when moved. Allow the pie to cool completely on a rack about 45 minutes before unmolding it from the pan (see page 251). Serve with cræme fraîche or whipped cream, if desired.

STORE

Room temperature, up to 1 week.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

Be sure to check the pie toward the end of the baking time to prevent overbaking and drying the filling.

UNDERSTANDING

The filling is brought to a lower temperature than for the nonchocolate version because the acidity of the cocoa would cause coagulation of the egg yolks at a higher temperature. Straining is difficult because of the thickening quality of the cocoa and unnecessary in any case, as the cocoa masks any slight graininess from the eggs.

MAPLE WALNUT PIE

(Baked in a Tart Pan)

T
his pie exploits the classic harmony of maple and walnut. Even if you use granulated rather than maple sugar, the filling will taste strongly of maple. Walnuts are harder than pecans and create a more crunchy/nutty filling.

EQUIPMENT

A 9½ inch tart pan with a removable bottom