Why is my pecan pie runny

Secondly, you can check on the runniness by checking the doneness along the way. Keep in mind that the custard under the pecans layer will not settle until the pie reaches degrees Fahrenheit. The best way to check the doneness is by pressing the pecans with a spoon and see if it jumps back. The fourth option is putting the pecan pie back into the oven. For instance, if the pie is runny and you have taken it out, cover it with the aluminum foil and bake it for around twelve to fourteen minutes more.

Also, you can wrap aluminum foil on the top to prevent browning. Another way of letting it harden up is letting it cool down or settle down. Generally, pecan pie takes around two hours to settle down at room temperature. No matter how often I tried, my pecan pie was either burnt, or it was soupy, not setting up right. After my grandmother had passed, I asked my mom what I was doing wrong. She said, "I don't know.

I've never been able to bake pecan pie myself," which explained why we never had it at home when I was a kid. I tried different crusts, different variations on the recipe, different oven temperatures. It always turned out the same: either pecan ashes or pecan soup. And then one day, about the time I turned 40—about the same time that I suddenly learned to make perfect cornbread and perfect biscuits—I learned how to make perfect pecan pie.

Maybe the age 40 thing is just because I needed to cook longer before I was done, or maybe it was because I finally found the secrets. Now pecan pie is always a favorite at our holiday table, and always the dish that I take to a potluck dinner. I have learned the secret to making perfect pecan pie, and now I'm going to share it with you.

When something's been around since the Native Americans shared their pecans with the first French settlers in New Orleans, you'd expect many variations on the recipe. Although there are a few newspaper references to pecan pie in the s and early s, most people today use variations on the corn syrup recipe published by Karo in the s. This recipe began to appear in recipes books such as Fannie Farmer or The Joy of Cooking in the s.

But that recipe is only a starting point, as each person blends in an extra ingredient, or changes out one of the basics, to make the pie her own. One person adds chocolate, another bourbon. Someone else uses molasses instead of corn syrup. In this way, each person's pie becomes her own unique blend of her mother's recipe and her friends' influence. This is what transforms cooking from a utilitarian chore to an expression of individuality.

My favorite recipe book has never been published. As I flip through its yellowed and well-worn pages, I read hand-written notes in the margin, like "I made this for George for breakfast the first day after we were married," or "I picked up this recipe for Key Lime Pie when we lived in the Keys in the 30s.

What makes this recipe book so special is that those notes were handwritten by my grandmother, my aunts, my mother, my great-grandmother—by women from four generations of our family—with some of those recipes having been handed down by their mothers before them.

My aunt compiled them about 25 years ago, copied the pages, bound them in three-ring binders. There is no label on the cover, no table of contents, no ISBN number and no pre-printed price, but I know that that book is more valuable than any other cookbook on my shelves. This is my great-grandmother's pecan pie recipe. It's not much different from the one on the Karo syrup bottle, but it's enough different so that I know it is her recipe, and now it is mine. This will bring out the flavor of the pecans.

Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes at degrees, until you can smell the pecan aroma. If you want to transform a southern lady into a raging monster, say to her, "I see you used pecan halves. Why don't you just use chopped nuts, instead?

My grandmother used whole pecan halves or mostly whole, because we always broke some of the nuts as we shelled them. Unbroken pecan halves make a beautiful pie, especially if you take the time to arrange them in a pretty pattern. Pretty until you cut into it, anyway. That's why I always use chopped nuts.

Because your knife won't cut through the nuts, you'll mash those pecan halves down into your pie, making your cut slices look like scoops of pie mush.

In Texas, using anything but the biggest, sweetest and gently toasted freshly-shelled pecan halves from your backyard tree is a hangin' offence, y'all - anonymous. The first year I made pecan pies, I was 17 and I put the nuts in a food processor. Bad mistake! Chopped makes it easier to chew and enjoy the flavors of the pie if you don't have teeth Use the right kind of pie plate! You can do all the preceding steps to perfection, but if you use the wrong plate, it won't cook the way you want.

Here are two great options:. It's possible that some generic brands have a higher water content; in that case, it would take a little longer to cook before it will set up. In the end, the secret that I was taught to ensure the filling sets up is to insert a butter knife into the filling. If the knife comes out covered with a lumpy or a colored gel, the filling isn't ready. As soon as the knife comes out "clear" i. For reference, my recipe is almost identical to yours; I use only 3 eggs and no flour in the filling.

I'm having the same problem, all my pies came out perfect up until last week. I think the problem for me is I used generic corn syrup instead of the karo brand. I used the generic corn syrup with the Karo recipe because I thought the off brand was such a good value.

I guess every brand has different measurements, and concoctions? I'm going to retry making the pie using the brand name corn syrup instead of the generic and see what kind of results I end up with! Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams?

Learn more. Why is my pecan pie always runny? Ask Question. Asked 6 years, 11 months ago. The internal temperature of the pie should be degrees F when it is done. Close search. September 18, Kristen Millican. There are two ways to find out whether your pecan pie is perfectly baked or not: 1. Shake the pie pan 2. Insert the knife Shake the pie pan Take out the pie out of the oven and give the pan or tart tray a little shake. Insert a Knife The simplest way to check your pie is by inserting a clean knife in the center of the pie.