Description
Sweet Southern comfort comes alive in this Pecan Cream Pie, blending rich nutty flavors with silky custard in a flaky crust. Generations of family recipes converge, promising a delightful dessert that welcomes you to savor each heavenly bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 (8 ounces / 226 grams) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cups pecans, toasted and chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 (9-inch) graham cracker or shortbread pie crust
Sweet Ingredients:
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
Liquid and Flavoring Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Craft the pie foundation by blending flour and salt in a spacious mixing vessel. Incorporate chilled butter until the mixture transforms into a sandy texture.
- Introduce ice water incrementally, kneading until the dough coheres into a unified mass.
- Mold the dough into a compact disc, encase in plastic film, and refrigerate for a minimum of half an hour to stabilize its structure.
- Activate the oven to 350F (175C). Unfurl the chilled dough across a pie pan, perforating the base with fork punctures to prevent unwanted inflation.
- Bake the crust until it achieves a golden amber hue, approximately 20-25 minutes. Allow complete cooling before further preparation.
- Whip cream cheese in a mixing bowl until silky smooth, gradually integrating powdered sugar to create a uniform blend.
- In a separate container, agitate heavy cream with vanilla, generating soft, billowing peaks.
- Delicately fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, ensuring thorough yet gentle incorporation.
- Transfer the luxurious cream filling into the cooled crust, distributing evenly across the surface.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium flame, introducing chopped pecans and brown sugar to create a glossy, caramelized coating.
- Toast pecans until fragrant and deeply bronzed, approximately 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow brief cooling.
- Cascade the candied pecan mixture across the cream filling, creating an enticing textural layer.
- Refrigerate the pie for a minimum of two hours, permitting flavors to harmonize and set.
- Prior to serving, optionally embellish with additional whipped cream and whole pecans for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Choose cold butter for the pie crust to ensure a flaky, tender texture that melts in your mouth.
- Use unsalted butter to control the salt content and prevent the crust from becoming too salty.
- Avoid overworking the dough when mixing to keep the crust light and crisp.
- Toast pecans briefly to enhance their nutty flavor and add a delightful crunch to the pie.
- Swap heavy cream with coconut cream for a dairy-free alternative that maintains the creamy consistency.
- Replace pecans with toasted almonds or walnuts if you prefer a different nut flavor.
- Reduce sugar by using a sugar substitute like stevia for a lower-calorie version of the dessert.
- Prepare the pie a day ahead to allow flavors to develop and make entertaining easier.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 hours
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 394
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 233 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 67 mg