Week 47 – Chocolate Chunk Pecan Pie

Right folks this week's bake requires some explanation and it is part one of a baking trilogy which will see me through the next couple of weeks of the baking challenge. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.

This time of year is a special one for myself and my old group of university friends because our annual holiday of Thank St Andrews It's Christmas Day (TSAICD) is coming up. I know, I know it's not a well recognised holiday, for some reason you don’t get the day off work and it doesn't appear in old fashioned paper diaries but it is very special.

When I was in my first year at the University of St Andrews I had a tight knit group of friends, including my long term flat mate, best bud and wife (not in traditional sense) Elizabeth who is American. While studying at St Andrews they very kindly give you a day off from lectures on St Andrews day which is the 30th of November. This nicely comes around at the same sort time of year as Thanksgiving and with a homesick American in our group it was only fair that we had some sort of gluttonous eating fest to celebrate the time of year. We also wanted to have an opportunity to exchange secret Santa gifts and start the process of decorating our student halls with a hideously tacky (and sometimes homemade) Christmas decorations.

So this time nine years ago, as keen Freshers we came up with the ingenious way of celebrating all three holidays in one and TSAICD was born. We had a fantastic meal with Thanksgiving and Christmas favourites a plenty, we ate, we drank and we were very merry.

The wonderful tradition continued every year for our four years of University, with the number of friends embracing the holiday increasing year on year. We even managed to continue the TSAICD tradition for several years after we all went our separate ways to be grown ups in the real world. Sadly we haven't managed it every year but its still a super special time for all of us. We have a ten year reunion planned for 2014 which I am already looking forward to.

Anyway, this long winded story has led to this week's bake. I wanted to dedicate a bake to each of the key elements of our special holiday so this week was for the Thanksgiving, next week will be something Scottish for the St Andrews element and the week after will be a Christmas bake.

So, finally what you have patiently read all this way for, the recipe!! Courtesy of The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days book I made the classic Thanksgiving fave, Pecan Pie (with added chocolate chunks):-

Ingredients

Pastry ingredients: 

• 110g unsalted butter 
• 225g plain flour 
• 80g caster sugar 
• 1 large egg

Pie Filling Ingredients:

• 110g unsalted butter
• 226g light brown sugar 
• 110g golden syrup 
• 3 large eggs 
• 260g pecans chopped (save some as halves to decorate the top) 
• 85g dark chocolate chunks

One 23cm (9inch) loose-bottomed tart tin

Method

1. Using a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and flour on a low speed until crumb-like in consistency. Add the sugar and then the egg, mixing gently just to incorporate. Alternatively, place the butter and flour in a separate bowl and rub together using your fingertips, then stir in the sugar, followed by the egg.
2. When the dough starts to form, take it out of the bowl and knead gently on a floured work surface to bring it together. Wrap the pastry in cling film and place in the fridge to rest for 20-30 minutes.
3. Once the pastry has rested roll it out on a lightly floured worktop so that is about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick and large enough to fit your tin.
4. Line the tart tin with the pastry, gently pressing it down into the base and sides of the tin. Using a sharp knife, cut away any excess pastry so that is it level with the edge of the tin, then prick the base of the pastry a few times with the point of the knife. Put the pastry case back into the fridge to rest for 20-30 minutes.
5. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 150 degrees centigrade (300F, Gas mark 2) and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.
6. Once the pastry case has rested, line it with baking parchment and fill with baking beans and place in the oven to bake blind (this just means without any filling) for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the beans, along with the parchment, and bake the pie case for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the filling.
7. In a sauce pan over a low heat, melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup together. Once melted, set aside to cool. Whisk together the eggs in a bowl, just to break them up, then pour the melted ingredients into the eggs, stirring continuously until everything is combined.
8. Scatter the chopped pecans and chocolate chips over the base of the tart case and pour the liquid filling on top and decorate with pecan halves.
9. Place the pie carefully on to the hot baking sheet (this will help to pie to bake evenly). Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 140 degrees centigrade (275F, Gas mark 1), and then bake for another 20 minutes. When cooked the pie filling should be set, with a very slight wobble in the centre.

Baking 'blind' with baking beans, you can use rice or lentils instead if you don't have baking beans

Thanksgiving goodness! Can you see the slight wobble in the middle? 

Yummmm

The recipe does take quite a while because the pastry has to chill out for a bit but the end result was a sticky, wobbly, pecan Thanksgiving treat. I have always wondered how you make the gooey filling of a pecan pie, and now I know it really is quite straightforward. You really only need a tiny slice because its soooooo sugary and I think it is definitely best served with some cream or ice cream to help wash it down.

The only thing that could have improved the baking experience would have been to have one of my friend Elizabeth’s Autumn/Winter musical playlists on in the background.

Happy TSAICD everyone, xx Linds xx

P.S I also made two birthday cakes for Free Cakes For Kids this past week, heart shaped cakes with pink sponge inside for twins Sophia and Olivia who were turning 9. Happy Birthday girls.