Pecan Pie didn't turn out

[SizzlininIN]

I'm thoroughly disappointed. I"m not a pie baker at all but though ok I'm going to give this another try and decided to try making the Pecan Pie Recipe on the back of the Karo Syrup bottle. Note: I used a Pillsbury ready made crust that you just roll out onto your pie pan.
Anyway I followed the directions to the T and it said to cook 50 to 55 min or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Well it wasn't ready in 55 min, or 60 min, or 65 min. I finally took it out at 65 min because the crust was getting way too brown. I let it sit thinking it would firm up because the knife still didn't come out clean. Well it never did firm up and the crust was way too brown. What the heck went wrong.
I'm so frustrated because I'm having Thanksgiving Dinner here and wanted to make at least one of the pies (one of my brothers is going to be helping me cook and he's a great pie maker). I thought I could at least be able to make this so I was trying it out first.........thank goddness I didn't wait till the big day

 

[jasonr]

No way to say what went wrong without seeing the recipe first.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Here it is jasonr: (Karo Syrup's Classic Pecan Pie)

1 c. Karo light corn syrup
1 c. sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten (I used medium eggs)
2 Tbsp margarine or butter, melted (I used margarine)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. pecans
1 (9 inch) unbaked or frozen dep dish pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In large bowl, stir first 5 ingred. until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pur into pie crust
Bake 50 - 55 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.



****How long after baking it should it have taken to firm up? I cut into it when it was cooled and it just spread out onto the plate instead of staying in the shape of a piece of pie. The filling was really good even though it wasn't firm. So we basically ate a filling. Couldn't eat the crust edge because it was too done.

 

[Psiguyy]

The eggs you used were too small. Next time, use large eggs. Eggs are what makes the pie firm up.

 

[marmalady]

Here's a recipe originally from 'Junior's' in Brooklyn, NY, that I tweaked a little - it makes an awesome pie (s)!

JUNIOR’S AND JACKIE’S PECAN PIE

Makes crust for 2 single crusts

Pie crust:
¼ cups AP flour
¾ cup cake flour
2 T. sugar
½ tsp. salt
6T. cold Crisco
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. cider vinegar
4-6 T ice water

Mix together flours, sugar and salt, and baking powder. Cut in Crisco and cold butter to a coarse crumb texture. Add 4T water, and cider, and mix lightly til dough just begins to come together; add water 1T at a time if necessary. Turn dough out on floured board, shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll dough out on a floured board and place in pie plate.

NOTE: Use regular cake flour, not self-rising.


Pie: (makes 1 large pie)

6 large eggs
1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar
½ cup dark corn syrup
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup melted butter, cooled
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups pecan halves
½ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375. Place a cookie sheet large enough to hold the pie plate in the oven, and let it heat up.

Heat sugar, both corn syrups, and butter til sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl, beat the eggs til frothy; add salt, cooled sugar/butter mixture and vanilla. Put the pecan halves in the bottom of the prepared pie crust, and pour mixture over top.

Put the pie plate on the hot cookie sheet in the oven. Bake until filling is golden and puffy, and still jiggles slightly in the middle. Cool on a wire rack.

 

[choclatechef]

The eggs you used were too small. Next time, use large eggs. Eggs are what makes the pie firm up.

I think this is a good lesson for everybody. Unless a recipe specifically calls for another size egg, you should use large eggs. Large eggs are the default size for most recipes.

 

[Raine]

Also you may want to check the oven temp, place an oven thermometer in the the oven to make sure it is really at 350°. I've made many of pecan pies with no problem.

 

[mudbug]

I think the last time I made pecan pie, I added a bit of cornmeal to the filling per my MIL's suggestion. That should help firm it up a little.

 

[SizzlininIN]

thanks everyone..........i never realized it could of been the eggs. Most recipes don't tell you what size now that I think of it. For now on I'll only by the large.....unless a recipe calls otherwise.

I'm going to try this again later in the week.

Thanks a bunch!!!!

 

[jennyema]

OK, this may or may not help you, but a while back Cooks Illustrated had a very interesting article on pecan pie with specific directions on how to avoid problems with it.

I bet it's either in The Best Recipe or their dessert cook book.

You pretty much can't go wrong with their instructions.

Anyone remember this or have a Chris kimball recipe??