Gluten-Free Pecan Pie

No Matter How You Say It...

All that pie practice was leading us to this moment. The big test. 

Gluten-Free Pecan Pie on the big T-Day.

Do you say "pee-can" or "puh-kahn"?

Well, you know what? It doesn't matter as long as it comes with "gluten-free" attached to it.

This has been my stumbling block for a couple of years now. Back in my gluten-eating days, I made pecan pies no sweat. No problems. No fear.

Then I went gluten-free. And I made a gluten-free pecan pie. And it was soggy.

And then I tried making another gluten-free pecan pie. And it didn't set up, no matter how much extra time I added.

Time after time, I had gluten-free pie failures. After a few of these, my confidence in baking had been shaken.

Hence, this fall's Gluten-Free Pie Practice. I've been making gluten-free pies throughout the fall. I made a variety of gluten-free pies, some better than others.

But then, do you know what happened?

The big T-Day snuck up on me. I ran out time to practice my gluten-free pecan pie.

How did this happen? I had planned way back in August to start making pies and to be sure to leave enough time to practice a gluten-free pecan pie. And now I was out of time?

Yup. Too many other pies. Too little time.

Well, the good thing about Pie Practice is that practice is practice. I think I've learned a few things along the way, so... I had to put my abilities and new-found experience to the test.

Oh, and no pressure. Nah. No problem. I'd just be doing it on the Big T-Day!

... It Comes Out Tasting Fabulous!

Gluten-Free Pecan Pie

I started this gluten-free pecan pie with my favorite gluten-free pie crust. And I made just the same way as the other recent times I've made it, in the food processor. If you don't have a food processor, a pastry blender or even just two butter knives work just fine.

And then I rolled it out between two pieces of floured parchment paper.

This time I tried something new. Instead of pinching the edge of the crust, I tried making a rope edge. I think I need a bit more practice on this.

Since I was sure I didn't want another soggy gluten-free crust, I baked this crust before filling. Just most of the way done. Still pale, not browned at all. But not raw.

Notice how my crust cracked when I baked it. I don't know why it did this.

Then I prepared the pecan filling. The filling is from my Grandma's recipe, which of course meant to include the words "gluten-free" next to the word "flour".

Of course it did. 

I'm sure it was just an oversight in her some-odd-year-old recipe. Actually, my copy of my grandma's recipe card gives credit to Annie Laurie W. I have no idea who this is. I had to call Grandma to find out.

"Who is Annie Laurie W.? It's on your Pecan Pie recipe card."

"She was the next door neighbor to my parents' when they bought their house in 1940. That was during the same time that Larry and I were engaged. She and her husband became very good friends of the family and even attended our family reunions for years and years."

That just means I don't really know how old this recipe really is. It could have come from Annie Laurie's mother or grandmother!

1/4 cup butter, melted
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp flour (I used gluten-free sweet rice flour)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped pecans

To the beaten eggs add butter, syrup, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, flour, salt and pecans. Stir to combine. Pour into baked gluten-free pie shell.

As you can see below, I didn't chop my pecan halves. I like them like this.

Here is the complete pie before being baked.

Bake at 350 degrees until filling is set, approximately 45 minutes.

And here it is after being baked and letting it cool.

Look! It set up! And the crust didn't get soggy! Actually, I added an extra five minutes to the baking time, and that made the crust just an itsy bitsy, teensy weensy bit over done. But I'll take that over a soggy crust any day!

Everyone in the house claimed this gluten-free pecan pie a complete success. Everyone loved it. Everyone wanted more!

Pie Practice is now officially over!

Now, I've already been asked to prepare a pie crust for Christmas. See, we are traveling and I have been asked to bring the premeasured ingredients with us.

Wow. Requests! I'm getting requests for my pie crusts! I suspect this request might turn into a pecan pie for Christmas. We will have to wait and see.

And in case you were wondering... I actually say it "peh-kahn". Just for the record.