For Delicious And Rich Pecan Pie, Don't Skip These Simple Steps

A generous dash of cinnamon or dollop of date paste can make pecan pie sing, but to get excellent results each time, you need to go back to the basics. After all, the additives you throw in won't make much of a difference without quality main ingredients. To get the best pecan pie, focus on the pecans themselves.

Nuts may seem like an ingredient you can just throw in the pantry without fear of spoilage, but using old pecans leaves your pie with a sour note. The high fat content in the nuts is responsible for their buttery taste, but it also makes them prone to going bad quickly. If stored incorrectly, the pecans may experience oxidation quickly, leading to a rancid taste. To elevate your homemade pecan pie, keep the nuts in a cool, dark place, like the fridge. For a longer lifespan, opt for shelled pecans — the covering protects the nuts from oxygen and moisture.

Before you add the pecans to the filling, give them a toast. Classic pecan pie relies on only a few ingredients, and the quick step adds depth to the simple recipe. The heat brings out the sweet, complex flavors in the pecans, while also adding a hearty crunch that amps up the dessert. Heat them in a dry pan for around five minutes, or roast the nuts in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once you've assured your pecans are top-notch, examine the other components of the pie to get the best dessert possible. Plenty of pecan pie recipes use white sugar, but to complement the depth of the toasted nuts, reach for brown sugar instead. The sugar provides the pie with a richer flavor and a gooey, moist center, thanks to the molasses. Light brown sugar is perfect when paired with other ingredients that pack a punch, like with espresso powder in chocolate-coffee pecan pie. If you're foregoing the extra ingredients and just want the basics to come with their own share of richness, go with dark brown sugar.

The sugar, corn syrup, and toasted pecans all make for an exquisite dessert, but if you find everything to be a little saccharine, try out Martha Stewart's pecan pie trick and add a dash of lemon zest. The tart citrus balances out the sweetness of the pie, ensuring it doesn't taste too sugary. Other citrus can be used for the same trick, and may complement the treat more based on the ingredients. Lime zest amps up the tropical flair of rum-infused pecan pie, while orange's depth makes the perfect accompaniment to woodsy bourbon pecan pie.