Granny Zeta’s Pecan Pies

6 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crusts, such as Pillsbury
2 cups chopped pecans
1/3 cup pecan halves, optional garnish
Whipped cream, optional garnish*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Break eggs into small bowl of an electric mixer, and beat on medium-high until very frothy, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter* and set aside. Set eggs aside.

Pour melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar into large bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes, stopping halfway through to scrape any sugar stuck to the bottom of the bowl. Meanwhile, measure out corn syrup. Add beaten eggs, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes, stopping every minute to scrape down sides and any sugar stuck to the bottom of the bowl.

Place crusts into 8-inch pie plates according to the package directions and crimp edges in a decorative fashion. Pour half pie filling into each crust. (It won’t look like enough filling, but it rises to fill shell during baking.) Sprinkle 1 cup of chopped pecans over filling of each pie. Put pecan halves in a decorative fashion around the outer rim of the pie, (next to the crust), if desired.

Place pies on middle rack of oven and bake 12 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees F. and continue to bake 20 more minutes or until set (filling no longer jiggles when you shake pie). Remove from oven and cool at least 30 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

* Notes

If your mixer’s large bowl is glass, melt butter right in the bowl in the microwave, about 1½ minutes on high.

Or garnish with vanilla ice cream.

Pies may be made 24 hours ahead or frozen up to 1 month.

Beverly writes: Why it took me years to perfect this simple recipe may be a testament to my ineptitude, but I prefer to think it was because I’m so picky when it comes to pecan pie. Of all of my recipes in all of my years, this is one of my absolute favorites. Even my mother, one of the world’s best bakers, asked for the recipe. The original version came from my father’s mother, Zeta Fetzer Mills, and one of her secrets was the odd configuration of baking temperatures. (The initial blast of high heat toasts the pecans.) My contribution is the odd configuration of sugars (it’s not too sweet) and the timing on beating the eggs. (It makes for a lighter pie.)

This recipe makes two pies (it’s just as easy as one), and they freeze beautifully for up to a month. When I make the pies ahead, I like to refresh the crust by warming them slightly before serving. A dollop of whipped cream is, of course, a heavenly garnish.

Approximate Values Per Serving: 417 calories (49% from fat), 23 g fat (7 g saturated), 98 mg cholesterol, 4 g protein, 51 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g dietary fiber, 249 mg sodium

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