December 2020 in The Twelve Months of Pie - Maple Pecan Pie

December 22, 2020 Frances Joyce

For my final pie, I decided to make a pecan pie. While looking through many delicious recipes, I came across this maple pecan pie recipe. I loved the idea of using pure maple syrup instead of corn syrup because I always have it on hand. The last corn syrup I purchased expired in 2017. Once again, I found a treasure from Sally’s Baking Addiction, https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/maple-pecan-pie/

The ingredients are simple and, except for the pecans, can be easily found in almost any kitchen. What really separates this recipe from most store-bought pies is the quantity of pecans used. Instead of a thin layer of pecan at the top and the bottom of the pie, there are pecans in every bite.

Make sure to use only pure maple syrup. The main differences to a traditional pecan pie recipe are the addition of a tablespoon of flour to thicken the syrup to the same consistency of corn syrup and you will need to prebake the pie crust (15 minutes at 350 degrees F). Another tip I picked up on the website is to lightly sprinkle the top of the pie with sea salt after baking. The salt pairs nicely with the sweetness of the pie reminiscent of salted caramel.

Baking the pie takes 40-50 minutes. I have an older (semi-ancient) oven, so it can bake unevenly. After 20 minutes I added the silicone protector over the crust edge, so it didn’t over-brown. I baked the pie for 30 minutes more, but the next time I will reduce the extra baking time to 20 minutes.

We put half this pie in the freezer for Christmas Day. Pecan pie freezes well, so it’s a great make ahead recipe.

Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or both. This would also be delicious served with warm chocolate sauce.

This is the last month of baking. I can’t believe I managed to bake all twelve pies during a pandemic. There were times when I worried about getting all the ingredients I needed. I thought I’d have more time for baking, but life really gets in the way in close quarters. I’m excited about the twelve recipes I found, and I can’t say enough wonderful things about the blogs/websites I used. The photos are gorgeous, and there’s a story behind every pie and recipe. The directions were easy to follow and no one added an obscure or super expensive ingredient. Reading through the comments, I picked up a few useful baking tips and I enjoyed how each blogger interacted with their followers. I encourage you to check out these blogs/websites.