BVC Eats: Pecan pie

I made this for friends at their request for Thanksgiving dinner at their house. I had never made pecan pie, and I wasn’t a huge fan. But it’s lovely to know you’re not responsible for the whole freakin’ turkey and trimmings plus OMG cleaning the house, and I had enthusiasm for experimental cooking, so.

This is cobbled together from a dozen or more recipes I found online. I apologize for the jumbo eggs in this recipe. My husband likes big eggs, so we buy them, but it kinda buggers up the measurements of recipes until you get used to them.

Don’t laugh at the photo. This is as pretty as anything I ever cook. Most of my recipes taste like heaven with butter, and they look like the dog sat on them.

PECAN PIE

3 jumbo eggs (or about 5 large or extra-large eggs)
1 cup butter (two sticks)
1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 T flour
2 t vanilla
1 T heavy cream

1 ½ cups roasted salted pecan halves
1 cup candied pecan halves

Preheat oven to 400 F. Allow the eggs to come to room temperature before mixing. These steps take time and cannot be skamped.

Line a large pie pan (12 inch) with a single pie crust. Flute the edges. Cover the bottom of the pie crust with roasted salted pecan halves, rounded side up. Press the pecan halves into the crust. They won’t all stay there, but you can hope.

Melt the butter.

Beat the eggs. Whisk in the butter. Whisk in the sugar and flour. Add the vanilla, then the cream.

If you have any roasted salted pecan halves or pieces left, mix them into the pie filling.

Pour the filling into the crust.

Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 20-30 more minutes. Remove pie briefly from the oven. Place the candied pecan halves on top of the pie. Pretty is nice, but use them all if you can. Return pie to the oven for another 10 to 20 minutes.

The pie is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely before serving. Some people like it chilled.

I feel like something’s missing. Whisky? Brandy? Maybe just drink it on the side.