Classic of soul food and originating from Louisiana, the origin of pecan pie dates back to the 1940s. Combining a crunchy texture and an intense flavor, this dessert, traditionally served for Thanksgiving, is a little pleasure for nut lovers and fans of ultra-sweet cakes. This recipe is taken from the book Gâteaux du monde, a magnificent work in which Michel Tanguy embarks on a culinary journey, asking pastry chefs at each stop to share their personal recipes. In this one, Cédric Barbaret, pastry chef at Barbaret Bistro & Bakery in Lancaster (Pennsylvania, USA), shares his method for mastering this typical pie from his region—perfect for aspiring bakers who want to serve memorable creations for small and grand occasions.
Ingredients to shop
For the dough:
180 g of T55 flour
7 g of sugar
2 g of salt
114 g of unsalted butter
3 to 4 cL of very cold water
For the pecan filling:
350 g of dark corn syrup
170 g of glucose syrup
170 g of molasses
150 g of granulated sugar
150 g of eggs
57 g of unsalted butter
10 g of vanilla extract
4 g of salt
The recipe
The day before, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix half of the flour, sugar, and salt. Then add half of the butter and mix until a homogeneous dough ball forms, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining butter and the second half of the flour. Pour 4 tbsp of water over the mixture and mix. Add water little by little, one spoon at a time, mixing between each addition. The dough should be slightly sticky but neither wet nor dry. Do not overwork the dough to avoid making it too firm. It is normal if small pieces of butter remain visible in the dough. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
On the same day, take the dough out of the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 5 mm thick, then line a 22.5 cm tart pan. The dough should slightly overhang the pan, forming a thicker edge resting on the rim. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or in the freezer for 5 minutes just before baking.
For the filling, in a large bowl, whisk together the corn syrup with sugar, eggs, previously melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until the filling is smooth.
For the assembly, fill the tart crust with coarsely chopped pecans, then cover them with the sweet filling. Finish with a few whole pecans on top. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 215°C. Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is well puffed and the center is slightly jiggly.
Feel free to cover the tart with aluminum foil during baking if the crust browns too quickly.
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
Also discover the recipe for Cobb cake and how to make an American-style lobster roll!
