Pecan Valley Pecans

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
8 ounces cream cheese; softened
1 egg
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
2 eggs; slightly beaten
¼ cup granulated sugar
⅔ cups light corn syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, egg, ⅓ cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Spread over bottom of pie shell.
3. Arrange pecans on the cream cheese mixture. Mix remaining eggs, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla, stirring well. Carefully pour over the pecans.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until done.

1½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs
¼ cup unsalted butter; softened
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl mix ingredients until thoroughly blended.
3. Press into a 9-inch pie pan.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 8 minutes. Cool.

Yield: 1 9-inch pastry shell

1 9-inch Chocolate Pecan Crust; baked
1 package Knox Unflavored Gelatin
¼ cup cold water
2 cups whipping cream
1 ?-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 extra eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (about 22) caramels
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. In small saucepan, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over cold water; let stand 1 minute.
2. Stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in one cup cream. Bring just to the boiling point; then immediately add to blender with chocolate. Process until chocolate is completely melted, about 1 minute. While processing, through feed cap, and ½ cup of the cream, eggs, and vanilla; process until blended. Pour into large bowl and chill until thickened, about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine caramels, ¼ cup of the cream, and butter. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramels are completely melted and mixture is smooth. Pour onto chocolate-pecan crust to cover bottom; let stand at room temperature to cool, about 10 minutes. With wire whisk or spoon, beat gelatin mixture until smooth. Pour into prepared crust; chill until firm, about 3 hours. Garnish with remaining ¼ cup of cream, whipped, and if desired, pecans.

Chocolate Pecan Crust
1 8½-ounce package chocolate wafers
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; finely chopped
½ cup unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Crumble cookies to make about 2 cups crumbs.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine cookie crumbs with pecans and butter. Press into 9-inch pie pan and press up sides to form high rim.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool.

1 8½-ounce package chocolate wafers
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; finely chopped
½ cup unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Crumble cookies to make about 2 cups crumbs.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine cookie crumbs with pecans and butter. Press into 9-inch pie pan and press up sides to form high rim.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool.

Yield: 1 9-inch pastry shell

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
1 cup Chipits Semi-Sweet Chocolate-Chips, melted
⅔ cups corn syrup
⅓ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves; chopped
Vanilla Ice Cream
Rich ‘N’ Satin Chocolate Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. In a large bowl thoroughly combine melted chocolate, corn syrup, sugar and eggs; stir in pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell which has been placed on a cookie sheet.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce oven to 350ºF.
5. Bake pie 20 minutes longer. Cool then chill. Slice and serve with Ice Cream and Rich ‘N’ Satin Chocolate Sauce.

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
¾ cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or regular margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon sea salt
3 ounce baking chocolate, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the granulated sugar, slat, corn syrup, cooled chocolate, melted butter, eggs and vanilla. Beat until well blended, using an electric mixer set to medium speed. Stir in the pecans and turn into the unbaked pie shell.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes or until set. (Pie will be puffy when it comes out of the oven and will sink while cooling.) Cool on a wire rack.

1 9-inch pie shell
½ stick unsalted butter
3 squares semi-sweet chocolate; chopped
1 cup light corn syrup
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs
1½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
½ cup whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In 2 quart saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate together until smooth. Remove saucepan from heat. With fork, beat in corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, salt and eggs. Beat until well blended.
3. Arrange pecans on bottom of pie crust. Carefully pour egg mixture over pecans.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes clean. Cool on rack. Serve garnished with Whipped Cream or make your own favorite crust.

1¼ cups chocolate wafer crumbs
⅓ cup unsalted butter; melted
½ cup unsalted butter; softened
¾ cups brown sugar; firmly packed
3 eggs
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
Whipped Cream; sweetened
Chocolate syrup
Maraschino cherries with stems
Mint sprigs

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine chocolate wafer crumbs and ⅓ cup melted butter; firmly press on bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Cream ½ cup softened butter; gradually add brown sugar with the electric mixer at medium speed until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the melted chocolate, instant coffee granules, vanilla extract, flour and chopped pecans. Pour into the prepared crust.
5. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.
6. Before serving, pipe sweetened Whipped Cream on each piece and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Garnish with cherries and/or mint if desired.

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.

1 recipe Lard-Crust Pastry or your favorite single crust pastry
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup light-colored corn syrup
⅔ cups sugar
⅓ cup butter, melted
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Prepare and roll out pastry for Lard-Crust Pastry. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry. Trim pastry and crimp edge as desired.
3. For filling, in a large bow. Combine eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and salt. Mix well. Stir in the pecan halves.*
4. Place the pastry-lined pie plate on the oven rack. Carefully pour the filling into the pastry shell. To prevent over-browning, cover edge of the pie with foil.
5. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Makes 8 servings

Note: if desired, prepare egg mixture as above; set aside 2 tablespoons of the mixture. Stir 1 cup of the pecans into the egg mixture and pour into prepared crust. Add remaining pecans to the reserved mixture, toss to coat. Arrange in a circular pattern on top of the filling. Bake as above.

Lard-Crust Pastry
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup lard
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender cut lard until pieces are pea-size.
2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the flour mixture, gently toss with a fork. Puts moistened dough to the side of the bowl, repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened.
3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll form center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.