Saturday, July 17, 2010

Pecan Crunch Pie


I wasn't quite sure how this pie was going to turn out. When I first read the ingredient list, it sounded a little...unusual, to say the least. And even the fact that it's called a pie, when it's actually more like a cake, added to it's interesting appeal.
I found the recipe in the cookbook I often go to for something a bit unusual, which may explain it's uniqueness! The book, "America's Best Lost Recipes" is, as you may know if you read many of my posts, one of my favorites. The whoopie pie recipe from the book is the best!

So, after reading all the notes on the recipe, especially the one about being careful not to overbake the pie, I gave it a try. And while we're on the subject of overbaking, I want to say that every time I read this in a recipe, I get nervous and tend to underbake what I'm baking!

The pie is quick to prepare, there's no crust to worry about because everything goes in the pie plate together ( which is why I think it's more like a cake), and it just has that old fashioned simplicity. Oh and yes, it's very good, a little sticky, a little chewy, not too sweet and the pecans give it a wonderful crunch. With a big scoop of vanilla ice cream...yum!


Place the graham crackers in your food processor to make the crumbs easily or if you don't have a processor, place them in a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin or some other heavy object! Set them aside for a minute.


Place eggs, sugar, baking powder and vanilla in a mixer bowl and ...



Beat til tripled in volume about 5 minutes.



Fold in the graham cracker crumbs and pecans.




Once nicely folded in...




Spoon it all into your prepared pie plate.




Bake til well browned on top, about 30 minutes ( and remember...don't overbake!).

Mine came out nice and puffy but the center sank after a few minutes, which was actually okay. But, maybe I should have baked it a few minutes more. If any of you out there try this recipe, let me know how yours turns out..please!


Pecan Crunch Pie ( from America's Best Lost Recipes)


3 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs, approx. 11 whole crackers*

1 1/4 cups pecans, toasted and chopped


Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9" pie plate.


1. Crush the graham crackers, as noted above, and set aside a minute.

2.With mixer in high speed, beat together the eggs, sugar, baking powder and vanilla til thick and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.

3. Using a rubber spatula, fold the graham crackers and pecans into the egg mixture.

4. Spoon the filling into the prepared pie plate and bake til well browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few sticky crumbs attached, about 30 minutes.* (It's best to remove the pie from the oven while it's slightly underdone. The residual heat will allow the pie to continue to cook.)

5. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

* Note: Do not use prepackaged graham cracker crumbs*








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