Pecan Valley Pecans

1¼ cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dough and surface
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
8 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter; cut into ¼-inch pats
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening; frozen solid and cut
1 large chilled egg white; mixed with ice water
1 large egg yolk; beaten
⅛ teaspoon water

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter and shortening over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
3. Sprinkle egg white mixture over flour mixture and, with blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together. Shape dough into ball with hands, and then flatten into 4-inch disk. Dust dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
4. Roll dough on lightly floured surface into 13-inch circle and transfer to 9-inch pie pan, preferably glass. Press dough into corners and sides of pan, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim edges of dough to make ½-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough under so that folded edge is flush with rim of pan. Flute edge.
5. Chill shell until firm, about 1 hour. Prick sides and bottom with fork and line entire shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing foil firmly against shell and extending it over fluted rim. Prick foil with fork and return shell to refrigerator while oven is heating.
6. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400ºF
7. Bake, pressing once or twice with mitt-protected hands, if necessary, to flatten any puffing, until crust is firmly set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk, and return to oven.

1¼ cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dough and surface
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
8 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter; cut into ¼-inch pats
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening; frozen solid and cut
1 large chilled egg white; mixed with ice water
1 large egg yolk; beaten
⅛ teaspoon water

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter and shortening over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
3. Sprinkle egg white mixture over flour mixture and, with blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together. Shape dough into ball with hands, and then flatten into 4-inch disk. Dust dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
4. Roll dough on lightly floured surface into 13-inch circle and transfer to 9-inch pie pan, preferably glass. Press dough into corners and sides of pan, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim edges of dough to make ½-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough under so that folded edge is flush with rim of pan. Flute edge.
5. Chill shell until firm, about 1 hour. Prick sides and bottom with fork and line entire shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing foil firmly against shell and extending it over fluted rim. Prick foil with fork and return shell to refrigerator while oven is heating.
6. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400ºF
7. Bake, pressing once or twice with mitt-protected hands, if necessary, to flatten any puffing, until crust is firmly set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk, and return to oven.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie shell

3 9-inch pie shells; unbaked
3 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks margarine; melted
4 eggs
1 cup cooked, mashed pinto beans
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 cup coconut flakes
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl mix sugar and margarine until fluffy. Add eggs, beans, nuts, coconut and vanilla. Mix well and pour into pie shells.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until center is set.

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
3 eggs
1 cup dark corn or cane syrup
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir in pecans. Pour in crust.
3. Bake uncovered in a preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted about 1½ inches from edge comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

1½ cups gingersnap cookies; crushed
¼ cup unsalted butter or margarine; melted
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 pint vanilla Ice Cream; softened
¾ cups brown sugar; firmly packed
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 cup pumpkin pie filling
1 cup whipping cream; whipped
1 cup caramel Ice Cream topping
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. In small bowl, combine crushed cookies and melted butter; blend well. Press firmly in bottom and up sides of 9 inch pie pan. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl stir ½ teaspoon cinnamon into Ice Cream. Spoon into crust. Freeze.
3. In medium bowl, combine brown sugar, ginger, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, cloves and pumpkin; blend well. Fold in Whipped Cream. Spoon over Ice Cream in crust.
4. Freeze 3 hours or until firm. Let stand at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
5. In small saucepan, combine caramel topping and pecans. Cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Serve warm over pie.

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅓ cup shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water
16-ounce can pumpkin pie filling
⅔ cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3 eggs
1 5-ounce can evaporated milk
½ cup milk
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter; softened

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until the pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle the water, one tablespoon at a time, over part of the flour; gently toss with a fork. Push to the side of the bowl. Repeat until all is moistened. Form the dough into a ball.
2. On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough and roll out to a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry. Trim the crust to ½-inch beyond the edge of the plate. Fold under and flute the edge.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar and spice. Add the eggs and beat lightly. Gradually beat in the evaporated milk and milk. Pour the filling into the crust. Cover the edge of the pie with foil to prevent over browning.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes.
5. Make the topping: in a medium bowl, combine the flour, pecans, brown sugar and butter. Remove the foil from the pan. Sprinkle the topping over the filling.
6. Return the pie to the oven and bake for 25 minutes longer, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill to store

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
1 16-ounce can pumpkin pie filling
¾ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1 13-ounce can evaporated milk
1 recipe Crunchy Pecan Topping

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the pumpkin, sugar, spices and salt in a bowl mixing well. Add the eggs and evaporated milk. Beat until smooth, using a rotary beater or an electric mixer. Pour into the unbaked pie shell.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for oven for 15 minutes
4. Reduce the temperature to 350ºF.
5. Bake for an additional 45 minutes or until a knife inserted halfway between the center and edge comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
6. Prepare the Crunch Pecan Topping and sprinkle over the cooled pie then place the pie under the broiler flame (5 inches from the heat source) until the mixture begins to bubble, about 1 minute. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Crunchy Pecan Topping
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or regular margarine
⅔ cups brown sugar; firmly packed
⅔ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

Place the softened butter, brown sugar, and pecans in a bowl and mix until crumbly with a fork.

24 unbaked tart shells
½ cup milk
½ cup light cream
2 eggs
1½ cups pureed pumpkin
⅔ cups brown sugar; firmly packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
⅔ cups brown sugar; firmly packed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter; melted
Whipped cream for garnish
Pecan Valley Pecan Halves for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. Place milk, cream, eggs, pureed pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves, allspice and vanilla in blender or food processor and blend for 2 minutes. Pour into tart shells
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to 275ºF.
5. Continue baking for 30 minutes more, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let tarts cool.
6. For topping: mix nuts and granulated sugar. Stir in butter until mixture is uniformly moist. Sprinkle over tarts.
7. Broil about 5 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with whipped cream and pecan halves.

Pecan Pastry Crust
½ cup dark brown sugar; firmly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
16 ounces pumpkin; canned or 2 cups pureed cooked pumpkin
2 large eggs
1 cup evaporated milk

1. Prepare pastry.
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
4. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat in pumpkin until combined.
5. Add eggs and milk; beat until smooth and well blended.
6. Pour pumpkin mixture into the pastry-lined plate.
7. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
8. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF.
9. Continue baking for 35 minutes longer or until the center of the pie is set.
10. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, then serve or refrigerate.

Pecan Pastry Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour; unsifted
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; very finely chopped
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅔ cups vegetable shortening; chilled
4 tablespoons ice water; or up to 5 tablespoons

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, pecans, sugar and salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and stir lightly with a fork just until a soft, manageable pastry forms.
3. Divide pastry into 2 balls. Between 2 sheets of floured waxed paper, roll out one ball to an 11-inch round.
4. Remove the top sheet of paper and invert pastry into a 9-inch pie plate, letting excess extend over the edge.
5. Remove the remaining sheet of waxed paper. Trim pastry edge even with the rim of the plate.
6. To make braided pastry, between sheets of floured waxed paper, roll out remaining ball of pastry and pastry scraps to a 10-inch-by-4½-inch rectangle.
7. Remove top sheet of waxed paper.
8. Cut the rectangle lengthwise into twelve ⅜-inch wide strips.
9. Braid 3 strips together; repeat 3 times with remaining strips.
10. With water, moisten the rim of the pastry in the pie plate.
11. Place braids around the rim of the plate. Trim off any excess braid and pat ends together where they meet.

1 10-inch pie shell; unbaked
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cups granulated sugar
2 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
4 large eggs
1¼ cups Karo Light Corn Syrup

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Brown butter to golden brown in heavy skillet. Remove to bowl (not plastic) and stir in sugar. Add syrup in thin stream and beat in. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Toss pecans with mixture to coat. Pour all into unbaked pie shell.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. Turn oven down to 375ºF for the rest of the cooking time; 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the depth of the pie shell. If crust starts to become too dark, cover entire pie with aluminum foil. Pie is done when pecans are a rich, dark brown and the filling is completely congealed. (Tap with finger to test for firmness.)