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Scratch or Shortcut, Pecan Pie

Martha White®Nashville, TN – The abundance of pecan groves that sweep across the South have made delicious favorite holiday recipes for generations: pralines, fruitcakes, a variety of cookies and the all-time holiday favorite — pecan pie. Martha White® is proud to be a part of making family traditions easy for over 100 years.

Whether you prefer classic or convenient, we have the recipes for you.

Martha White Pecan Pie and Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Bars
Martha White Pecan Pie and Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Bars

“Some bakers love making a recipe from scratch and other bakers prefer to take some shortcuts,” says the Martha White baking expert Linda Carman. “Baking with love is a way of bringing families together for memorable meals and moments.

“No matter which category you fall into, the recipients of your efforts will be equally appreciative of the time and care you took to bake something special for them.”

The Secrets to Tender, Flaky Pie Crust

Pie fillings are relatively easy to make, but it’s the flaky, tender, homemade crust that makes the difference between a good and really great pie.

Understanding the importance of how flakiness and tenderness are achieved will help you become a good scratch pie baker. This is possible by distributing small pieces of shortening throughout the flour and maintaining pieces in the dough until it is placed in the oven. Here are some tips to brush up your holiday baking skills:

  • Cut the shortening into the flour by using a pastry blender, two knives or a food processor.
  • We recommend cutting in only half the shortening until the mixture is fine. Once achieved, continue to cut in the remaining shortening until the pieces are about the size of small peas.
  • The fine pieces make the crust tender while larger pieces make it flaky.
  • Keeping all the ingredients cold helps to maintain the bits of shortening throughout the mixing and rolling of the dough.
  • When placed in the oven, the shortening pieces melt and create layers of delicious flaky pastry.

Pecan Pies and Bars

Homemade pecan pie is a testament to the way simple ingredients come together to create a classic. The Martha White Pecan Pie filling is easy to stir up. It is the slightly salty, flaky homemade crust that delivers the perfect complement to the sweet filling and makes the whole pie incredibly delicious.

For those who prefer a shortcut, Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Bars are a great alternative. This quick and easy recipe features a pecan filling similar to the pie, but the crust is a breeze to make with a convenient Martha White Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix. The mix is combined with cream cheese, butter and sugar until clumps form. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake. Add the pecan filling topping and bake again. It’s as easy as pie.

For more Martha White recipes to save you time and money, visit www.marthawhite.com/recipes. Join the Martha White community at www.Facebook.com/MarthaWhiteBaking.

Martha White Pecan Pie

Martha White Pecan Pie

Crust
1 1/3 cups Martha White® All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
3 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole or coarsely chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Mix together flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in half of shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is fine and mealy. Cut in remaining shortening until size of small peas. Sprinkle water over mixture. Stir gently with fork until dough leaves sides of bowl. If some dry particles remain, sprinkle additional water, about 1/2 teaspoon at a time, stirring with fork until particles are worked into dough. Mixture should be moist enough to form a ball, but not sticky.

2. Shape dough into ball. Flatten to 1 1/2-inch thickness rounding and smoothing edges. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes. On floured surface, roll out dough to 11-inch round. Carefully fold dough over rolling pin. Unfold over pie plate. Fit evenly into pan. Do not stretch. Trim edge. Fold edge under and flute. Refrigerate while making filling.

3. Stir together eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter and vanilla until blended. Stir in pecans. Pour into unbaked crust.

4. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until top springs back when gently touched. Cover edge of crust with foil, if necessary, to prevent over browning. Place pie on wire rack to cool completely. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 8 servings

Tip: If you prefer to arrange pecans on top of the filling, omit them from the filling. Pour filling into pie crust and arrange pecans over top.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Bars

Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie Bars

Crust
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
3 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, slightly softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 (7.4 oz.) packages Martha White® Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix

Filling
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13 x 9-inch pan with no-stick cooking spray. Line pan with foil or parchment paper. Spray again.

2. Beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup sugar together with electric mixer on medium high speed until creamy. Add muffin mixes and beat at low speed until large clumps form. Press into prepared pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until brown. Press gently with back of wooden spoon.

3. Stir together eggs, 1 cup sugar, corn syrup, 2 tablespoons butter and vanilla until blended. Stir in pecans. Pour over baked crust. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely. Use foil to lift bars from pan. Place on cutting board. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 24


Crisco is a trademark of The J.M. Smucker Company.

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