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Thanksgiving Recipe: Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie

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This is fantastic: a pecan pie made without corn syrup. We're not calling it healthy, but it certainly is more true to the all-America dessert's roots. Thank goodness for America's Test Kitchen. You're own your own for the pie crust, but since this one is all about the filling, don't feel bad if you go the store-bought route.
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Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups toasted and chopped pecans
  • 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell, chilled in pie plate for 30 minutes

Make Filling:

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat sugar, syrup, cream, and molasses in saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Whisk butter and salt into syrup mixture until combined. Whisk in egg yolks until incorporated.

Bake Pie

Scatter pecans in pie shell. Carefully pour filling over. Place pie in hot oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until filling is set and center jiggles slightly when pie is gently shaken, 45 to 60 minutes. Cool pie on rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate until set, about 3 hours and up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.


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