Pecan Recipes | June, 2005

Apple-Pecan Cake Bars

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup wheat germ; toasted
1 cup brown sugar; firmly packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 egg; beaten
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups apple; diced
½ cup oil
2 teaspoons baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Sift together whole-wheat flour, wheat germ, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, combine peeled and diced apples, sugars, oil, pecans, eggs and vanilla. Add flour to mixture. Stir gently. Blend well. Turn into 2-inch deep pan.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes or until cake pulls from side of pan. Cool in pan or rack.
5. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
6. Cut into 12 bars.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Apricot Pecan Cake

8 eggs; separated
1½ cups granulated sugar
2½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Meal
10 Uneeda Biscuits; crushed
1 whole lemon rind; grated
1 pint heavy cream
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup apricot jam1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat egg yolks with 1½ cups sugar until light lemon-colored.
3. Add nuts, biscuit crumbs and lemon rind.
4. In another bowl beat egg whites until dry and fold into nut batter.
5. Grease two 9-inch cake pans lightly, line them with wax paper and grease and flour the wax paper. Pour batter into pans and let stand 5 minutes.
6. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Remove pans from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.
8. In a large mixing bowl, whip cream until stiff. Beat in ¼ cup sugar gradually; add vanilla and beat.
9. Spread jam on top of one layer cake. Place second layer cake on top. Cover sides and top of cake with whipped cream. Sprinkle with additional nuts, if desired.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Banana-Pecan Cookies

1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar; firmly packed
⅔ cups shortening; soft
1 egg
¼ cup milk
1 cup mashed bananas
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
2 cups Quaker Oats; uncooked (quick or old-fashioned)

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon into bowl. Add sugar, shortening, egg, milk and bananas. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in pecans and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Beverly’s Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
3 eggs
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup
1 dash of sea salt
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
Whipped Cream

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Sprinkle pecan pieces evenly over bottom of pie crust.
1. In a large mixing bowl mix eggs, butter, corn syrup, salt, and pecans until smooth. Pour into pie crust.
2. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or until filling is almost set. If pie begins to brown too quickly before filling is set, place piece of aluminum foil over pie to retard further browning. (It should jiggle a little.) Cool completely before cutting.
3. Serve with generous amounts of Whipped Cream.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Butterscotch Pecan Bars

1½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cups brown sugar; firmly packed
½ cup unsalted butter; cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup light corn syrup
6 ounces butterscotch pieces
A pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon water
8 ounces Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In bowl mix flour, salt and sugar. With pastry blender cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Spread mixture evenly in greased 13-inch-by-9-inch-by-2 inch pan, then with hand press firmly into smooth compact layer.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Remove pan to rack while you prepare topping.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine syrup, butterscotch pieces, salt, butter and water in large heavy saucepan.
6. With rubber spatula stir over low heat, pressing butterscotch until melted and smooth. A few tiny un-melted pieces of butterscotch are all right. Quickly stir in pecans and remove from heat.
7. Working quickly to prevent mixture from hardening, place large spoonfuls on warm baked crust. With back of spoon spread mixture to within ½- to ¾-inch of crust edges During baking, topping will run toward edges.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
9. Cool in pan 30 to 40 minutes or until only slightly warm.
10. With small sharp knife loosen around edges, and then cut in 16 bars. Bars in center of pan will appear too soft, but they will become firm as they cool; wait to remove them. With wide metal spatula transfer bars to cutting board; cool thoroughly until firm. Cut each bar in half.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Canadian Maple Pecan Cake

2⅔ cups cake flour
¾ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cups buttermilk
½ cup pure maple syrup
14 ounces unsalted butter; at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1¼ teaspoons maple extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; finely chopped
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup marshmallow crème
Pecan Valley Pecan Halves for decoration1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, salt and baking powder.
3. In another bowl, combine buttermilk and maple syrup.
4. With an electric mixer set at med-low speed, beat 6 ounces of the butter (12 tablespoons) and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
5. Beat in 1 teaspoon of the maple extract and the vanilla.
6. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Reduce speed and beat in flour mixture in three parts, alternating with buttermilk mixture.
8. Stir in the chopped pecans.
9. Pour into prepared pans.
10. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
11. Cool 10 minutes in pans. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
12. Meanwhile, sift powdered sugar.
13. With an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat remaining 8 ounces butter (16 tablespoons) until creamy.
14. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in powdered sugar.
15. Beat in remaining ¼ teaspoon maple extract.
16. With a spatula, fold in marshmallow crème.
17. Put on cake layer on a serving plate. Spread top with about ¾ cup frosting. Top with remaining layer. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting. Decorate with pecan halves.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Caramel Crunch Pecan Pie

Toffee
2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup unsalted butter or margarine
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1. Grease a jellyroll pan with Butter Flavor Crisco.
2. Combine brown sugar, salt, butter, boiling water and vinegar in large saucepan. Stir until well blended. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cover and boil 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and brush brown sugar crystals with wet pastry brush. Boil slowly without stirring until mixture reaches hard-crack stage, 295º to 310º on candy thermometer. Stir gently without touching sides of saucepan. Pour into pan, spreading if necessary. Cool to room temperature.
3. Break into squares, and then break up enough squares to make 3 tablespoons small bits or pieces. Cover and store remainder of candy for eating.

Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
¾ cups Butter Flavored Crisco
5 tablespoons (or more) ice water
1 tablespoon whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Combine flour and salt in medium-size bowl. Cut in Crisco until all flour is blended to form pea-sized chunks. Sprinkle with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Toss lightly with fork until dough will form a ball. Divide dough in half. Press between hands to form a couple of 5- to 6 inch “pancakes”.
3. Roll dough for bottom crust into circle between sheets of plastic wrap. Peel off top sheet. Trim pastry 1 inch larger than upside-down 9-inch pie plate. Fit into pie plate. Press to fit. Remove other sheet of plastic wrap. Freeze. Roll second “pancake” same as for crust. Freeze 15 minutes.
4. Cut out 26 to 28 leaf shapes and 3 larger maple-leaf shapes from rolled pastry. Arrange leaves in overlapping and slightly curved pattern on baking sheet. Brush with whipping cream. Moisten tips of small leaves with ice water. Press around edge of crust in overlapping fashion. Brush with cream.
5. Bake leaves at 400ºF 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Pie Filling
¾ cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup dark corn syrup
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter-flavored pancake-waffle syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine; melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon un-sulfured molasses
2 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine granulated sugar, salt, corn syrup, eggs, syrup, melted butter, vanilla and molasses. Beat with whisk until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour into unbaked pie shell.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees.
5. Bake pie 25 to 35 minutes, or until filling is firm when pie is shaken gently. Cover edge to keep from over browning.

Caramel Sauce
⅔ cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup water
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon whipping cream
¼ cup unsalted butter or margarine

1. Combine granulated sugar and water in small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium. Boil without stirring 11 minutes until mixture is deep amber color, brushing down sugar crystals from sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream; mixture will bubble up. Add butter, stirring until smooth. Cook and stir over low heat about 3 minutes or until color deepens and sauce thickens slightly.
2. Spoon ½ cup over warm pie. Cool 1 hour. Sprinkle top with toffee bits. Place leaf decoration to 1 side of pie. Refrigerate 4 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 9-inch pie
3. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce for Ice Cream topping.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Chocolate Silk Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
⅓ cup granulated sugar
½ cup dark corn syrup
3 tablespoons margarine or unsalted butter; melted
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 cup hot milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1⅓ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate curls; if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In small bowl, combine sugar, corn syrup, margarine, salt and eggs; beat 1 minute at medium speed. Stir in pecans. Pour into crust-lined pan.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 55 minutes or until center of pie is puffed and golden brown. Cool 1 hour.
4. While filled crust is cooling, in blender container or food processor bowl with metal blade, combine milk, vanilla, and chocolate chips; blend 1 minute or until smooth. Refrigerate about 1½ hours or until mixture is slightly thickened but not set. Gently stir; pour into cooled filled crust. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
5. In small bowl, beat topping ingredients whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spoon or pipe over filling.
6. Garnish with chocolate curls. Store in refrigerator.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Chocolate-Pecan Biscotti

2 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1. Place pecans on a cookie sheet and toast until golden, about 10 minutes.
2. In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter together. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Let cool 10 min.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat eggs lightly. Gradually beat in sugar. Add orange zest. Stir in cooled chocolate until blended. Stir in the flour and baking powder until incorporated. Fold in pecans. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350ºF and butter large cookie sheet.
5. Shape each half of dough into a 14-inch-by-2½-inch log. Place 4 inches apart on sheet. Smooth tops and sides with rubber spatula.
6. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until logs are firm when pressed in the center. Remove the baking sheet from oven. Don’t turn off oven.
7. Slide logs onto a cutting board. With a large knife, cut each log diagonally into ½-inch slices. Stand the slices upright on edge on the cookie sheet. Return to oven.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until crisp.
9. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →

Cranberry Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
3 eggs, lightly beaten
⅔ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries; chopped
1 cup golden corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, melted
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
Whipped Cream

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In medium bowl, stir together eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter and vanilla until well blended. Stir in pecans, cranberries and orange rind. Pour into pastry shell.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. If desired, serve with Whipped Cream.

Leave a comment Continue Reading →