Holiday Dessert Favorites: The Classic Pecan Pie

Typical recipes for pecan pie call for corn syrup, eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla flavoring, salt, and pecans. The ingredients are stirred together, put in a pie crust, and cooked until the middle is not wobbly, which is identified by carefully moving the pie pan. If the middle jiggles a bit, the dessert is done. A sweet, scrumptious pie with a smooth and a flaky crust is the finished result. Some home cooks will position a single layer of pecan pieces on top surface of the pie prior to cooking to make a stunning arrangement while others leave it as-is, knowing that the top is probably to be adorned with a big dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
 
Pecan pie has become a popular dessert to toy with through the years, with various versions such as Honey Pecan Pie. In some recipes the vanilla extract is left out, dark or light corn syrup can be used, and light brown sugar can substitute for the sugar. To give the pie an extra boost of flavor in the southern states, a dash of whiskey is sometimes included. Simple differences like ginger or nutmeg can be added into the mix, Fruity enhancements like pineapple or lemon juice can offset the sweet taste.
 
In the past several years, delicious chocolate pecan pies have grown in interest. Adding chunks of semi sweet, unsweetened or milk chocolate into the original ingredients can add a whole new dimension to a pecan pie. A chocolate pecan pie turns into a perfect dessert suitable for more formal adult get-togethers with a quarter cup of bourbon or a splash of instant espresso.
 
To help make the texture smoother, some traditional recipes call for boiling the pecans in milk and draining them off before adding to the other ingredients. A meringue topping called for in some old-fashioned versions are a little bit more difficult to prepare, but are visually stunning. For individuals with nut allergies or anyone on a tight budget there is also a more contemporary recipe for pecan pie. Rolled oats to imitate the nutty essence are employed in special recipes swapping out the nuts. While quite delicious, nothing can beat the taste of a classic, pecan pie.