100 Year Old Pecan Pie Recipe

I like pecans.  I WANT to like pecan pie - but it it just sooooooo sweet that it makes my teeth hurt.  I was looking at food history and learned that the pecan pie we have today is not the original.  The original recipe has a more custard like base instead of the syrup base.  That led me to some digging - and an OLD recipe.  The original recipe included meringue, but I omitted that and stuck with today's whipped cream.  SOOOO GOOD.  I like to cook from scratch, but there are some things that I will take shortcuts with and pie crust is one of those things.  If you like to make crust, I encourage you to do so.

Your favorite 9 inch pie dough.
1 Cup Whole Milk
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, Packed
3 Large Eggs, Beaten
1 Tbl Flour
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
Pinch Salt
Pecan Halves for layering on top.

Heat your oven to 425 degrees.  Line your pie plate with the dough, top with foil and pie weights.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Remove the foil and weights and return it to the oven for 5 - 7 minutes - the bottom and edges should start to brown.  Remove from the cool completely.  Reduce oven to 350 degrees.

While cooling, in a saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, eggs, flour, chopped pecans and salt.  Set over medium low heat and stir constantly.  Do not use a higher temperature, we want the mixture to cook and combined without cooking the eggs. When in doubt, use a lower temperature.  Cook and stir until the mixture starts to steam - not simmer, just steam.  Once it starts steaming, cook for about 3 minutes - you will see it start to thicken and coat the whisk.  

Remove the mixture from heat and pour into the pie shell.  Top with a layer of pecan halves.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until there is a slight wobble in the center.

Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Random talks with my niece often lead me to try new things - this one was one I had never heard of before.  I like carrot cake, I like cinnamon rolls, so why not combined them?  Well worth it - with or without walnuts.

Dough:                                                                Filling:
3/4 Cup Warm Milk                                             1 Cup Salted Butter, Melted
1/2 Cup Melted Butter                                         2 Cups Packed Light Brown Sugar   
2 Large Eggs, Room Temperature, Beaten          3 Tbl Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Melted Butter
2 1/2 Tsp Yeast                                                      Pre-Bake Topping
1/2 Cup Sugar                                                        1/2 Cup Heavy Cream, Room Temperature
1 1/2 Cup Finely Shredded Carrot
3/4 Cup Shredded Coconut                                    Frosting
4 1/2 Cup Bread Flour                                            8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
1 Tsp Salt                                                                1/4 Cup Salted Butter, Softened
1 Tsp Cinnamon                                                      2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg                                                       1.5 Tsp Vanilla
                                                                                 3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts (Optional)

Combine the warmed milk and melted butter.  Temper the eggs into the milk and butter mixture.  Temp the mixture to ensure it is under 120 degrees.  If it is not, allow to cool.  Temperature of this mixture will also tell you approximate rising times.  Sprinkle the yeast on top of this mixture.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Stir in sugar, carrot and coconut.

In a separate bowl, combined 4 cups bread flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Stir the flour mixture into the yeast mixture until just combined, let stand 5 minutes.  Then, with a dough hook or by hand, mix until a dough is formed, adding the remaining bread flour if needed.  Mix dough until it is elastic and smooth.  It may still be tacky.  

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel and let ruse until nearly doubled (30 to 60 minutes).  While the dough is raising, stir together your filling ingredients an set aside.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan, set aside.  Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with more flour and roll into a 24 x 15 rectangle.  Spread the filling over the dough, Starting on the long edge, roll the dough up jelly roll style.  Cut the roll into 12 slices using dental floss or a serrated blade and place in the prepared pan.  Cover the pan and allow the rolls to rise for 30 minutes.  Heat the oven to 350.

When ready to bake, pour the room temperature heavy cream over the rolls, then bake for 30 - 40 minutes.  Check midway through to ensure that they are not getting to browned.  If they are, put foil over the pan.  Cooking time may vary based on size of rolls, pan type and how closely they are packed after rising.  

While the rolls are cooling, put all frosting ingredients except walnuts in a bowl and beat until combined.  Spread over cooled rolls, sprinkling with walnuts if desired.  

Store the rolls in the refrigerator.