Cook's Illustrated

Pecan Pie

Published November 1, 1995.

After patiently scouring dozens of recipes, we finally create a pie with silky smooth texture, rich pralinelike flavor, and a crisp crust.

The Problem

Pecan pies can be overwhelmingly sweet, with no real pecan flavor. And they too often turn out curdled and separated. What's more, the weepy filling turns the bottom crust soggy and leathery. The fact that the undercrust usually seems underbaked to begin with doesn't help matters.

The Goal

To create a recipe for a not-too-sweet pie with a smooth-textured, curdleproof filling and a properly backed bottom crust.

The Solution

Use a combination of dark brown sugar and light corn syrup for a classic praline flavor. To prevent a soggy bottom crust, heat the filling and add it to a hot prebaked crust, and to prevent curdling, cook the pie in a slow oven until almost done, then allow residual heat to finish the baking.

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