Caramelized Pecan Chess Pie

Second Place, nut category, APC’s 2002 National Pie Championships (Amateur Division)

First Place, Winston-Salem Journal Classic Chess Pie Contest, Dixie Classic Fair

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1⁄4 cup plain shortening
6 to 7 tablespoons cold milk

Filling:
2 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons white cornmeal
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 cup butter, melted
1⁄4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Caramelized toasted pecans
(recipe below)

To make pie crust: Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender to form pea-sized chunks. Sprinkle with ice-cold milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Toss lightly with fork until dough forms a ball. Roll out on waxed paper. Place in pie plate and flute edges.

To make filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together sugars, cornmeal, flour, salt, butter, milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract. In electric mixer, whip on high speed until light-colored and creamy, scraping down sides occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Add eggs and stir just until combined well. Add half of caramelized toasted pecans (about 1⁄2 cup). Pour mixture into pie crust. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, shielding edges of crust with aluminum foil after 10 minutes. (If rest of top starts to get too brown, cover entire top with foil). Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining caramelized toasted pecans. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Make 1 (9-inch) pie.

Caramelized Toasted Pecans:
1 1⁄2 cups pecan halves
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans on cookie sheet or other baking pan and toast 5 minutes, stirring often. Combine brown sugar, butter, and maple syrup in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring often or until sugar dissolves. Add toasted nuts and stir until coated. Place on buttered foil and put back in oven for 1 to 2 minutes, or until sugar starts to bubble. Cool. Chop fine. (Remember, use half of the nuts for chess pie filling and half for topping.)

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