Best Pecan Chiffon Pie Recipes

PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE WITH GINGERSNAP PECAN CRUST

Steps:

• Make Crust:
• In a food processor grind gingersnaps, pecans, and sugar fine and add butter, blending until combined well. Press mixture onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate. Bake crust in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden around edge, and cool on rack.
• Make filling:
• In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over brandy, rum, or water and let stand.
• In a heavy saucepan whisk together milk, brown sugar, yolks, pumpkin, spices, and salt and cook over moderately low heat, whisking, until mixture registers 160°F. on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat and immediately add gelatin mixture, whisking until gelatin is completely dissolved.
• Transfer filling to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring constantly, just until the consistency of raw egg white. Remove bowl from ice water.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream until it holds stiff peaks and whisk about one fourth into filling to lighten. Fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly and pour filling into crust. Chill pie until set, at least 3 hours and up to 24, covered with plastic wrap after 1 hour.
• Top each serving with whipped cream and garnish with nuts.

MAPLE-PECAN-PUMPKIN CHIFFON PIE

Steps:

• Refrigerate pie crust until ready to use.
• In a bowl, combine the amaretto and water; sprinkle the gelatin over the liquid and set aside to soften.
• In a saucepan, combine the milk, egg yolks, brown sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin, spices, and salt.
• Place over medium to med-low heat and cook, whisking virtually nonstop, until the mixture thickens somewhat (the change will be subtle) about 8 minutes; do not let the mixture boil.
• Remove from the heat and immediately add the gelatin mixture, stirring well to blend.
• Place the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and let the filling cool, stirring frequently, until cool to the touch (you may want to add more ice when the first cubes melt.
• Meanwhile, using a chilled bowl and chilled beaters, beat the whipping cream using an electric mixer until stiff but not grainy; cover and refrigerate; wash and dry the beaters.
• In a bowl, beat the egg whites using a mixer until they hold soft peaks; add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff and glossy but not dry.
• Add the whites and about 1/3 of the whipped cream to the chilling.
• Fold gently until evenly combined.
• Add the remaining whipped cream and fold again until evenly mixed.
• Fold in the chopped pecans; scrape the filling into the chilled pie crust, smoothing the top with a spoon.
• Cover with loosely tented foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve: garnish pie with pecan halves and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

CHIFFON PUMPKIN PIE WITH PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• 1. To make the pie: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the crust until warm and fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• 2. Sprinkle the gelatin over 3 tablespoons of water in a small cup and let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the pumpkin puree, milk, sugar, egg yolks, spice, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken, 6 to 8 minutes.
• 3. Whisk the gelatin mixture into the saucepan with pumpkin mixture until combined and the gelatin is dissolved completely. Let sit at room temperature, stirring frequently, until it is cool but not set, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• 4. Beat ¾ cup of the cream in a large bowl until semi-stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled pumpkin mixture, folding just until combined. Pour into the graham cracker crust. Place plastic wrap directly on the filling and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours or overnight.
• 5. For the brittle: Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Have a candy thermometer, a bowl of water and a pastry brush ready.
• 6. Put the sugar and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook without stirring, allowing the water to evaporate as the sugar begins to melt. Dip the pastry brush in the bowl of water and brush down the sides of the pan if any sugar crystals begin to form around the edges. When the sugar turns a deep caramel color and registers 300°F. on the candy thermometer, about 15 minutes, pick up pan and gently swirl to melt any sugar that hasn't dissolved. Carefully pour the melted sugar onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading it out as much as possible. Immediately sprinkle the toasted pecan pieces and salt evenly over the top and allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• 7. Beat the remaining ½ cup cream in a until stiff peaks form. Spread the cream over the top of the pie. Break up the brittle into shards and put them into the whipped cream; slice the pie and serve with more brittle.

PECAN PIE CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325˚ F. Separate the eggs; put the whites in one large bowl and the yolks in another. Let stand at room temperature to warm up while you assemble all the other ingredients, about 30 minutes. (Be prepared to make the cake batter without stopping so the eggs don't deflate.)
• Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and beat with a mixer on medium speed until thickened and starting to turn white, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup granulated sugar, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until the egg whites are glossy, thick and hold stiff peaks but are not dry, about 5 more minutes. Set aside while making the rest of the batter (don't do this ahead of time or the egg whites will deflate).
• Add the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar to the egg yolks along with the brown sugar. Beat with the mixer (no need to wash the beaters) until smooth and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vegetable oil and vanilla until smooth and thick, then beat in the milk (the batter will be thin). Add the flour, ground pecans, baking powder and salt and beat on low speed until thoroughly combined.
• Add about one-third of the beaten egg whites to the batter and fold in with a rubber spatula until combined. Add the remaining egg whites and continue to fold until no white streaks remain. Pour into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan or angel food cake pan and run the spatula around the center of the batter to create a line where excess air can escape as the cake rises.
• Bake the cake until the top is golden and springs back when touched and a long skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and immediately turn the cake upside down over the slim neck of a bottle (if your pan has feet, use those instead). Let cool completely. Use a thin spatula to loosen the cake around the sides and middle of the pan. Turn out onto a platter.
• Make the glaze: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the pecans and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup and salt and carefully stir to combine. Continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan when stirring, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool and thicken, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• When the glaze has thickened but is still pourable, spoon it over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. As the glaze cools, use the spoon or spatula to spread some of the pecans that fell down onto the top and sides. Let stand, at least 30 minutes.

PECAN CHIFFON PIE

Steps:

• Spread nuts on a baking sheet to toast. Bake at 250 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until the nuts barely begin to brown. Cool.
• Combine brown sugar and 11/3 cups plus 2 Tablespoons water. Bring to a boil.
• Mix cornstarch and 1/4 cup water and stirring with a whisk, pour into the boiling brown sugar mixture. Stir constantly and cook until the mixture becomes clear and is the consistency of a thick pudding. Remove mixture from heat.
• Whip egg whites at high speed with mixer until peaks form. Slowly add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until peaks are stiff. Reduce mixer speed to low and gently add the hot pudding-like mixture and the toasted nuts. As soon as everything is blended, turn off mixture. Do not overmix.
• Pile filling lightly into baked pie shells.
• Whip cream until stiff. Add vanilla. Divide the whipped cream and spread over both pies. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
• Pies are best served the same day they are made.