Pecans are the nice American nut and at no time of the 12 months are they extra in demand than across the holidays. There are plenty of completely different nuts grown in america; walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts, however a pie made with toasted pecans is a vacation custom and yearly I’ve the urge to make one.
Just lately an American membership-only retailer opened in France, and whereas there are lots of French hypermarchés (mega-stores), this one brought on a splash, significantly amongst Individuals, as a result of they’ve issues like massive rolls of their well-known plastic wrap with that superlative cutter, IPA beers, and from what I hear, massive baggage of pecans.
There’s at all times been Metro, an analogous mega-store that carries extra restaurant-supply objects. However there’s an enormous fridge stuffed with each type of French cheese (and butter) possible, bought complete (like a whole wheel of Brie) or butter in giant blocks, and so they provide you with down jackets to put on since you need to spend a lot time in there. It truly is that chilly. However it’s worthwhile to be an expert to go there.
I don’t have room for a whole wheel of Brie – and I’m not speaking about in my abdomen (which I’d be up for making an attempt…), however in my fridge – however I do have room for pecans, which I stockpile as the vacations get nearer and nearer. Over time, I’ve made Ginger Pecan Pie and Chocolate Pecan Pie with my treasured pecans that I haul again from the States as a result of I’m not schlepping out to the boonies on the outskirts of Paris to get a bag of pecans after I can carry them 5500 miles over the Atlantic. (And typically pay further in baggage charges.) That is smart. Proper?
So after I do use them, I made positive they’re going into one thing that’s going to be a sure-fire hit. I received a duplicate of Pie Squared from Cathy Barrow, who’s very adept at baking. And this one was a winner.
The one factor that you’ll want is a quarter sheet pan. She and I need to’ve been on the identical web page as a result of just a few months again, I steered everybody get one since I’m enamored of mine.
Folks say, “I hate to say I advised you so…” however don’t know what they’re speaking about as a result of I really like saying that. And in the event you received a kind of pans, I advised you so, and also you’re most likely glad that you simply did as a result of they’ve so many makes use of, together with for making slab pies. (Though in the event you didn’t, in her ebook, she provides directions the right way to hack a normal baking sheet.)
Talking of hacking, the wealthy chocolate dough was a bit sticky to roll out. Cathy really useful rolling it in a superb quantity of powdered sugar. Sadly, my kitchen counter began trying like a blow bust, so I pulled out two giant sheets of parchment paper and rolled the dough between them, which labored nice.
The perimeters will likely be a bit rustic, however that’s okay – despite what individuals say, you don’t eat along with your eyes. Which might be a reasonably astounding feat, so I’ll follow my mouth
I nonetheless haven’t mastered the artwork of taking footage of myself doing issues like rolling out dough, digging my palms in flour, or scribbling tarts and pies with chocolate (when I attempt to do it on Instagram shops, it by no means ends nicely for me…or my iPhone) however the last outcomes had been enormously loved.
Chocolate Pecan Slab Pie
Cathy recommends baking this slab pie on a pizza metal, which I occur to have, and so they work nice. If not, you need to use a pizza stone or over an inverted baking sheet, to evenly distribute the warmth. She wrote an entire ebook on slab pies, and I figured in depth testing revealed these to be one of the best workarounds.
She additionally makes her dough within the meals processor, freezing the cubes of butter first. If you wish to go that route, you may.
Talking of the dough, the recipe makes use of pure unsweetened cocoa powder, which within the U.S., is what you discover within the grocery store, resembling Hershey’s. It’s also possible to discover pure cocoa powder made by bean-to-bar corporations like Guittard, Askinoise, and others. I requested her about utilizing Dutch-process cocoa powder, which is what’s often accessible exterior the U.S. (and, in fact, it is accessible inside) and she or he stated it made the dough gummy and troublesome to take care of. We did not hash out why, however since she advised me she examined it to dying and it did not work for her, I like to recommend solely utilizing pure cocoa powder.
(Should you strive it with Dutch-process cocoa powder, let me know your ends in the feedback. UPDATE: A reader made the dough with Dutch-process cocoa powder and stated within the feedback beneath this publish that it labored simply nice.)
For extra on cocoa powder, verify my publish, Cocoa Powder FAQs. If you wish to skip the chocolate crust, you need to use a favourite pie crust recipe or perhaps a store-bought one, in the event you’re so inclined.
For info on monitoring down components in France, like brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, and extra, verify my publish, American Baking in Paris.
Servings 8 servings
For the chocolate crust
- 1 1/3 cups (180g) flour
- 3 tablespoons (18g) pure unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch course of (see headnote)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces, 115g) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
- 1/4 cup (60ml) chilly espresso (or water)
For the pecan pie filling
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces, 85g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 1/4 cups (270g) packed darkish brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (80g) maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (80g) darkish corn syrup, sorghum syrup, golden syrup, or gentle molasses
- 2 tablespoons bourbon , (elective, however wonderful)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or flaky sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 giant eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups (330g) toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces (55g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
To make the crust
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Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine collectively the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and salt. (It’s also possible to make this in a medium bowl utilizing a pastry blender, or a meals processor. See headnote for tips about utilizing a meals processor.)
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Add the 8 tablespoons (115g) of butter and blend at medium velocity, till the butter is damaged down into items the dimensions of small peas. Add the espresso and blend till the dough comes collectively. Cease the mixer and knead it a few instances along with your palms, solely sufficient to form it right into a clean rectangle; don’t over knead the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill the dough for at the least 4 hours. (The dough could be made as much as 2 days prematurely and refrigerated, or frozen for as much as two months.)
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Roll the dough by putting the rectangle of dough between two giant sheets of parchment paper, till the dough is a 11- by 15-inch (28 by 38cm) rectangle. Rigorously peel the highest piece of paper off of the dough (if it is troublesome, it might assist to relax the dough on a baking sheet), and overturn the dough onto 1 / 4 baking sheet. Take away the opposite piece of parchment paper and use your fingers to coax the dough into the pan, gently ensuring it is well-fitted into the corners and the edges, leaving any extra dough overhanging the edges. Refrigerate the pan with the dough in it.
To make the pecan filling
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). When you’ve got a baking metal or stone, put it on the center rack of the oven. In any other case invert a rimmed baking sheet, in case you have one, on the rack to even out the warmth. If you have no of these, it is okay to bake the pie with out it. Soften the 6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium warmth till it begins to foam. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup (or one other liquid sweetener), and maple syrup and stir till clean. Take away from warmth and let cool till tepid, about 5 minutes.
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Whisk within the the bourbon (if utilizing), salt, and vanilla. Then whisk within the eggs one after the other, till they’re fully included. Stir within the chopped pecans.
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Scrape the pecan filling into the ready pie shell, fold the overhang of dough over the pecan filling, and bake on the ready center rack of the oven till the middle feels virtually set within the heart. Mine took half-hour, though in her ebook, Cathy says it’s going to take 55 minutes, so begin checking it on the 30 minute mark.
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Take away the pecan pie from the oven and let cool fully.
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Soften the chocolate in a small, completely dry, heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring till clean. Switch the melted chocolate to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip, or right into a sturdy zip-top bag. Snip off one of many corners of the plastic bag, or use the pastry bag fitted with a tip, to scribble the chocolate over the pie. Refrigerate the pie till the chocolate has firmed up. (Alternately, you may serve it with delicate chocolate on high.)
Storage: The pie could be made 3 or 4 days prematurely, and saved at room temperature or refrigerated.
