Pecan-Plus Pie
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA CHRISTMASIntroduction
This is somewhat of an Anglo-American enterprise. I have taken a pecan pie, and added other nuts, simply because for me, the English festive season means bowls of mixed nuts and the memory of my grandfather being able to crack them, pressing two against each other, in his bare hands. I don’t crack them myself here even with a nutcracker, I’m afraid. But I do make sure I buy good fresh (check the dates on the packet) natural ones — that’s to say unsalted and free of additives — that come together in a pack comprising Brazils, natural (unblanched) almonds, hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts.
I should also tell you that the pie's pastry base is made with the easiest dough imaginable: you just stir flour, milk and oil together (with a little salt) and then press the mixture into the tin!
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
This is somewhat of an Anglo-American enterprise. I have taken a pecan pie, and added other nuts, simply because for me, the English festive season means bowls of mixed nuts and the memory of my grandfather being able to crack them, pressing two against each other, in his bare hands. I don’t crack them myself here even with a nutcracker, I’m afraid. But I do make sure I buy good fresh (check the dates on the packet) natural ones — that’s to say unsalted and free of additives — that come together in a pack comprising Brazils, natural (unblanched) almonds, hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts.
I should also tell you that the pie's pastry base is made with the easiest dough imaginable: you just stir flour, milk and oil together (with a little salt) and then press the mixture into the tin!
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Yields: approx. 12 slices
- 225 grams plain flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 125 grams vegetable oil
- 60 millilitres full fat milk
- 150 grams golden syrup
- 100 grams soft butter
- 200 grams soft light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 350 grams mixed nuts
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup golden syrup or light corn syrup
- 1 stick soft butter
- 1 cup soft light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups mixed nuts
- 3 large eggs
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, oil and milk to form a rough dough.
- Tip out into a 25cm / 10 inches diameter flan dish, and press the dough patiently over the base and the sides of the dish, slightly coming up over the top if possible. Put in the freezer.
- Melt the syrup, butter and brown sugar over a lowish heat in a saucepan.
- Add the vanilla, stir, then take off the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.
- Take the pastry-lined flan dish out of the freezer, and arrange the nuts on it.
- Whisk the eggs into the slightly cooled sugary syrup until it looks like a caramel mixture, then pour it over the nuts.
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the filling has set and the pastry is golden.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, oil and milk to form a rough dough.
- Tip out into a 25cm / 10 inches diameter flan dish, and press the dough patiently over the base and the sides of the dish, slightly coming up over the top if possible. Put in the freezer.
- Melt the syrup, butter and brown sugar over a lowish heat in a saucepan.
- Add the vanilla, stir, then take off the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.
- Take the pastry-lined flan dish out of the freezer, and arrange the nuts on it.
- Whisk the eggs into the slightly cooled sugary syrup until it looks like a caramel mixture, then pour it over the nuts.
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the filling has set and the pastry is golden.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD:
Make the pie up to 2 days ahead and keep in an airtight container.
MAKE AHEAD:
Make the pie up to 2 days ahead and keep in an airtight container.
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Show more commentsGorgeous! I add a bit of salt to the syrup mixture, gives it a nice little kick!
This could not be more wonderful! I use a mixture of pecans, cashews and macadamia nuts, and that combo goes so well with the rich, caramel filling. In addition, the no-roll pastry makes this a cinch to make, and it turns out really flaky and tasty. This recipe makes it so you can provide a real treat with absolute ease. Perfect for the holidays!
A wonderful tart made with a rich butter pastry case filled with pecans, walnuts, Brazil and Cashew nuts baked with a Maple syrup topping absolutely gorgeous ideal for Christmas time or any other occasion served with homemade custard yummy or with plenty of fresh double cream poured over it delicious even ice cream would be awesome too I hope that you're going to love it as much as I do thank you Nigella on a beautiful flan that all of the family can enjoy! Yummy, delicious it's definitely a winner for sure xxx
We made this for Christmas lunch dessert, along with Christmas pudding. We were hosting Americans, and weren't sure if they would go for an old-school British pudding full of suet and dried fruit. We didn't just want to dish up plain old pecan pie to them, so it was cool to have Pecan-plus pie and not have to put in any brain effort to come up with a fresh take. I think they were impressed, and they loved the steamed-for-eight-hours pudding too. In conclusion, this pie kills.
I'm a 72 year old man with a sweet tooth and If I had found a lady who could make this when I was younger, by golly, I'd have married her on the spot. Thank you Nigella even a kitchen dabbler like myself can make and enjoy this recipe.
Made this beautiful pie, not with golden syrup because I could not find that, but with black syrup. The result was very tasty.
I made this pie just this weekend for my boyfriend's family. Because he absolutely loves pecans I used pecans only and substituted a bit of the golden syrup for maple. I am itching to try it with all almonds, too, and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon sugar on top. It was really delicious, everybody loved it. For a pie with such large amounts of sugar and syrup it wasn't tooth-achingly sweet - a good thing in my book. Besides, it looks really impressive and stately but it took me about 10 minutes of actual work to make! It is very easy, too, especially the pastry. A really great recipe for Christmas time when you want to make something that looks great and tastes even better and you don't have the energy to follow a twelve-step recipe or get out the cookie cutters.