I am talking southern pecan pie today.

I want to talk about pie today. I am going to make a pecan pie. I don't really know why, but it sounds like fun and I haven't made one in years now. And a pecan pie is so southern. I've been looking at my recipe files and wow, there were lots of pecan pies in it and I could not remember which one I liked best and I left few exciting notes that I could actually read! lol I had to do some research because making a pecan pie is not something I do a lot and so I don't have the practice. And I am going to put my recipe here and what I could make of my notes and well, if anybody wants to make a comment, go ahead. After all, cooking is an experiment, much like writing, it takes experience and practice to perfect a technique or get your vision across. So here goes:

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 heaping tablespoon flour (This means it’s rounded up a pinch or two. Laughing)

1 cup dark corn syrup. (We need to talk about this)

2 tablespoons Butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups pecans (I use chopped pecans, but most people like halves and either works well.)

1 (9-inch) unbaked deep dish pie shell (I always put this out and let it thaw while I am preparing everything)

Let's talk about corn syrup: I use Karo Dark Corn Syrup. That's the southern thing to do, but I had in my notes that one year I used Light Corn Syrup, and one year I used half and half. Apparently the lighter the syrup, the milder the taste is. The darker is the better for me, because I just like the rich taste of the syrup. But I got a lot of compliments the year I used half of each. I don't use maple syrup or any substitute for "corn syrup" because it's not going to set up right. I hear this all the time. Unless you are some kind of great baker, and you might be, but I am not and I know if I do this, it's either going to be a miracle or a big, big mistake. Do that at your own risk.

Let's talk about the most serious problem making a pecan pie. It doesn't set up right. There is nothing worse than a runny pecan pie and apparently I made a few that went in the garbage over the years until my momma said I needed to use a heaping tablespoon of flour in the recipe. lol. A heaping tablespoon doesn't mean much to normal people, but to southern cooks it means don't be too precious when measuring. If you go over a bit, it's not going to ruin anything. But don't go under!!!! lol Another reason your pie can go runny is you don't cook it long enough and you don't let it go to room temperature before you start fooling with it afterwards. A pecan pie has got to set up and I even store my pie in the refrigerator after it cools a bit because I want it to set up firm before I cut it. When you are baking the pie, make an aluminum foil cover for pie crust edges. This keeps the rim of the pie from overcooking while the center gets done.

Oven should be preheated to 350° F.

In a bowl, beat eggs first then stir in your brown sugar and THAT flour, followed by the syrup, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix all this together really well, then add your pecans. Don't overfill the pie shell. You will know when to stop.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until set. Allow to cool completely. Like I said, don't fool with a pecan pie until it is room temperature. It's just a mess if you do.

I shared this with my friends in France. They made pies. Smiling.