I really love this pie. you can use a pre-bought pastry and pie filling if you wanted to make it much simpler. It's like a pecan/pumpkin pie combo
Winning Pie: Pumpkin Praline
Emeril’s Thanksgiving Contest 2000
Good Morning America
The winning recipe is Pumpkin Praline Pie
by Beth Ann Woodward from Spring, Texas.
Servings: 8
Ingredients for crust:
Either *home-made (see below) or
store-bought refrigerated crust
(Beth prefers Pillsbury)
Ingredients for praline layer:
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons softened butter
Ingredients for pumpkin filling:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup evaporated milk
Ingredients and directions for *home-made crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon shortening - or
1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon lard
2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons ice water
(add the extra 1/2 tablespoon if it is too dry)
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and use a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie
plate. (**If using a metal pie pan, increase temperature to 400 degrees.)
2. With pastry blender, cut shortening into dry ingredients until mixture resembles crumbs. (It will look like cornmeal. Add ice water (it must be
very cold) one tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly. Dough should be just
moist enough to hold together in a ball. Make sure it is not sticky. Form
into ball and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Place dough on lightly floured surface and flatten slightly. Roll into
10-inch circle, rolling from the center out. Lay the crust gently into 9-inch
deep-dish glass pie plate. Press into pan and crimp edges decoratively.
Directions for praline layer and filling:
1. In food processor, add pecan pieces, dark brown sugar, and butter.
Process until ingredients hold together like a paste, making sure the
pecans are a fine "meal." Press very firmly into bottom only of the pie
crust so it will not float up during baking.
2. In mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy with hand-mixer or standing
mixer. Then with mixer on low, or stirring by hand, add in order the
rest of the ingredients. Beat only until well mixed. Pour slowly into
praline lined crust.
3. Bake in oven checking after 45 minutes. Cover edges of crust to
prevent oven browning. Pie is done when filling is set but still slightly
jiggly in center, depending on oven 45-55 minutes total. Remove
from oven and let cool on counter until room temperature. Chill
in refrigerator.
4. Garnish with whipped cream and caramelized pecans, if desired. (*see recipe for caramelized pecans below) Cut pie into eight servings and
garnish each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and 2 caramelized
pecan halves.
Optional: caramelized pecans:
16 nice pecan halves
3 tbsp white granulated sugar
1. In a non-stick skillet, add pecan halves and sugar. Cook over low
heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until sugar melts and begins
to caramelize.
2. When pecans are nicely coated, remove from heat and cool.
I'm most definately making this cake somewhere in the holidays!
It was probably pecans in this recipe but any nut would do.
