When thinking of an American pie, most likely the Apple Pie or the Pumpkin Pie comes to mind first. But today, we want to introduce you to a different pie – the Pecan Pie. Enhanced with maple syrup, this delicious pie is one of our American favorite recipes.
The main ingredients, pecans and maple syrup, have their origins in the USA. While pecans usually come from the southern United States – specifically from Texas –, maple syrup is typically produced and bottled in the northern regions of America.
Ingredients for Pecan Pie with Maple Syrup
To make the Pecan Pie with Maple Syrup a culinary highlight, you'll need high-quality ingredients. You can find some of these ingredients, as well as useful baking utensils, in our online shop. At American Heritage, we have high standards for all products we import from the USA. That's why we only offer products that have fully convinced us.
For the Pecan Pie with Maple Syrup (serves 6-8), you'll need:
- 150 g flour, plus extra flour for dusting
- 160 g butter
- 50 g white cane sugar
- 175 g brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- 150 ml Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup
- 200 g pecans
- 1 pinch of salt
- Whipped cream (for serving)
- a pie dish
- a dough blender
How to Perfectly Make Pecan Pie with Maple Syrup
Allocate about 20 minutes for preparation and approximately 90 minutes for cooking.
In the first step of making the Pecan Pie, let's focus on the crust. Cut 100 g of cold butter into cubes and knead it with 150 g of flour to form a crumbly dough. A sturdy stainless steel dough blender is recommended. Now add 50 g of white cane sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk ½ teaspoon of Bourbon vanilla extract with one egg yolk (the remaining eggs will be needed later). Add this mixture to the dough. Knead the dough until it becomes lightly crumbly. If necessary, add some ice-cold water for proper binding. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for about one hour. Cover it with cling wrap before placing it in the fridge.
After an hour, preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F), take the dough out of the fridge, and roll it out on a well-floured surface to a thickness of about 3 mm. The dough might be slightly crumbly or have cracks – that's okay. You can easily press the dough back together with your fingers. Take a pie dish and line it with the dough, letting it extend at least 2 cm over the edge. Prick several holes in the bottom with a fork.
Now, onto the next step – blind baking the crust. Blind baking involves pre-baking the crust before it's filled. This keeps the bottom flat while allowing the edges to rise – perfect for the Pecan Pie. Place parchment paper on the dough in the pie dish. Then fill with dried beans (e.g., peas, lentils, beans, or chickpeas). The weight of the beans will keep the dough flat. Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake it for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. If the dough is still too soft afterward, remove the parchment paper and beans and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Now, let's focus on the delicious filling of the Pecan Pie with maple syrup. In a pot, add 60 g of butter, 175 g of brown sugar, ½ teaspoon of Bourbon vanilla extract, 150 ml of Bourbon Barrel Aged maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Stir the mixture constantly over low heat until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool to lukewarm. Beat the remaining three eggs into the pot and mix them in. Then add some of the pecans to the filling, not all of them, as some will be used for garnishing. Stir the filling well and pour it into the dish on top of the pre-baked crust. Generously distribute the reserved pecans on top of the filling and gently press them down.
In the final step, bake the Pecan Pie with maple syrup for 40-50 minutes in the oven until the filling is set. If the pie is browning too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil. Once done, remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Then remove the pie from the pie dish. The Pecan Pie can be served warm with a dollop of whipped cream or fully cooled. Enjoy your meal!
