Toffee Pecan Pie
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without this Toffee Pecan Pie. I say that because it’s never the same without pecan pie, but adding toffee bits to the filling and using pecan flour in the crust makes it extra-special!
If you are a pecan pie lover, I suggest you give this bad boy a try!
Let’s begin with the dough…the key element in making this dough so delicious and in giving it the wonderful color is the pecan flour. When I started to search for it, I realized it was very hard to find and VERY expensive. So then I checked out what exactly it is and how to make my own. It’s simple as heck, so I have given instructions in my recipe. Basically, throw the pecans in the food processor and pulse until the pecans are finely ground. The only issue is if you over-grind…then you have pecan butter. Don’t do that! Keep an eye on it and you’ll do just fine.
Add all of the crust ingredients to the processor and pulse until the butter pieces are pea-size. Pour a steady stream of ice water into the dough and run the processor until the dough starts to clump.
Now, turn the dough out and shape it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes or longer. If it’s in the fridge longer, it may need to sit for a few minutes prior to rolling it to soften up.
Roll the pecan pie dough into a 12-inch circle, transfer to the pie pan and crimp the top as desired. Place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
For the filling, chop up most of the pecans into coarse pieces. You can see from my photo above, what the pecans should look like. Leave some of the pecans whole.
Chop the Heath bars as fine as you can.
Whisk together corn syrup, sugars, eggs, butter, bourbon, vanilla and salt. Add all of the pecan pieces and the Heath pieces and pour the mixture into your prepared crust.
Bake the pie for 25 minutes on the middle rack, then move it to the top rack and continue baking for another 45 minutes. You may have to tent it with foil to prevent the crust from getting too brown.
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack.
I added some leaf cut-outs to the top by using some of the excess trimmings from the crust, baking them on a separate baking sheet for about 25 minutes. I watched them to make sure they weren’t getting too brown. As the pie was cooling, I added them to the top in a decorative fashion.
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Toffee Pecan Pie
Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour & 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour & 30 minutes plus cooling time
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup pecan flour (see Chef’s note)
- 1 & 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup ice water
For the Pie:
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
- 1 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 & 3/4 cup pecan halves
- 1/2 cup finely chopped Heath or Skor bar (80 grams)
Instructions
For the Crust:
In the work bowl of a food processor, place flours, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; pulse until combined. Add cold butter, and pulse until butter pieces are pea-size. With processor running, add 1/4 cup ice water in a slow, steady stream just until dough starts to form large clumps. (Mixture should be moist and hold together when pinched.)
Turn out dough, and shape into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Dough refrigerated for longer periods of time may need to stand at room temperature until slightly softened, 10 to 15 minutes, before rolling.)
For Pie:
Position oven racks in center and upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with baking spray with flour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll pecan piecrust into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to prepared pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides; trim edges to 1/2-inch beyond edges of plate, if necessary. Fold edges under and crimp as desired. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together corn syrup, sugars, eggs, melted butter, bourbon, vanilla and salt. Reserve 1/2 cup pecans; very roughly chop remaining 1 & 1/4 cups pecans. Fold all pecans and candy bar into corn syrup mixture. Pour into prepared crust.
Bake on center rack for 25 minutes. Place a sheet of foil on upper rack, move pie to upper rack and bake until center of pie is set and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 200°F, 40-45 minutes more, loosely covering with foil after 25 to 30 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning. Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Chef’s Note:
If you cannot find pecan flour, make your own by placing 1/2 cup pecans in a food processor and pulsing until finely ground. Be careful to not overdo it or you will have pecan butter!
Recipe by Bake from Scratch
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