Pecan Pie Wins Local Competition

What goes great with a slice of warm pie? Well, aside from a scoop of ice cream, maybe some coffee. Instead of pouring the coffee into a mug, why not put the coffee right into the pie? That, plus a few special ingredients helped Jack and Jacqueline Domet's Coffee Toffee Pecan Pie take home first prize at the Marin Country Mart Farmers Market pie contest recently.

The competition was fierce and flavorful as 37 amateur chefs entered their best pies in the contest. Each will receive a complimentary year subscription to Edible Marin and Wine Country.   

The Domets took home bragging rights with their nutty pie (the recipe follows), while Tinna Manansala was the runner-up with a Mixed Berry Pie. Karen Van Paris was third with her Pear Praline Pie. 

Award-Winning Coffee Toffee Pecan Pie  

Crust Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 Tbs granulated sugar
• 5 Tbs unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ¼ inch pieces
• 3 Tbs vegetable shortening, chilled
• 2 Tbs sour cream
• 2 Tbs ice water  

Preparation: Whisk flour, salt, and sugar together in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork. Add shortening and continue cutting until it resembles a coarse cornmeal.  

Mix sour cream with ice water and sprinkle over the top of the flour mixture and fold gently with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Shape into a 4” disk, wrap in plastic wrap and sit in fridge for at least 1 hour before rolling out crust.  

Prebake the crust by covering with foil and pie weights or beans. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, and another 5 minutes with the foil and weights removed.  

Filling Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¾ cup corn syrup
• ½ cup treacle (e.g. Lyle’s Golden Syrup)
• 4 eggs
• 1 shot of espresso
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 healthy splash of bourbon (almost a full jigger – the alcohol cooks off in the oven so don’t be bashful)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup chopped toasted pecans
• 2 cups toasted pecan halves
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped English toffee
• ¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chunks  

Preparation: Position the rack in the center of the oven, set a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 375 degrees.  

Brown the butter in the saucepan. Once it is nutty brown, whisk in the cream, corn syrup, treacle, and brown sugar. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl and temper with some of the warm sugar mixture before adding to the pan. Whisk until fully incorporated before mixing in the espresso, bourbon, vanilla and salt. Stir in the chopped pecans and set aside.  

In the prebaked crust, put in half of the pecan halves, and then sprinkle the toffee and chocolate chunks evenly over the pecans. Cover with the remaining pecan halves. Pour the syrup mixture over the top – there might be a little extra so be sure not to overfill for your pie pan.   

Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, rotating halfway through. Pie is finished when bubbling around the edges and the filling is puffed and shimmies just slightly when moved.  

Allow the pie to cool completely on a rack before serving.  

Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream. (Spike with a little bourbon if you prefer) 

— Courtesy Marin Country Mart