Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Ok so, here's the entire truth about my personality disorders:

* I have OCD - an extreme aversion to anything perceived to be dirty and/or germy.

For example, my severe OCD does not approve of the following (just to name a few):
(1) Camping. For obvious reasons.
(2) Not washing your hands before eating, not washing your hands after coming home from being "outside," not washing your hands before entering my irrationally large personal bubble.
(3) Moms who will stick pacifiers back into their baby's mouth after it fell on the ground.

* I'm a perfectionist, to a flaw. I will drive myself crazy perfecting something. I will spend 10+ hours on something that requires 2, just so I can make it 110% perfect. This applies to all aspects of my life, from academics, to career, to baking. I don't ever put my name on something "sub-par," which is defined as anything less than 110%. I will meticulously research every aspect of one recipe for about a week before actually attempting it. Even then, if it doesn't turn out like how I expected, it's back to the drawing board, and the recipe in question does not make it onto the blog.

I'm sure my friends will tell you that I have other disorders, but for now, we'll just leave it at these two, because they directly pertain to how I bake and run this blog. =)

Ok so, I'm telling you all this because it relates to why I decided to post this Pumpkin Pecan Pie recipe. I was super upset when I pulled it out of the oven and it was ugly. I was even more mortified when it proved to be super un-photogenic. I panicked and thought: I must immediately find another pumpkin recipe to feature in the pumpkin series. (This is the third installment in the Welcome Autumn: Pumpkin Series.)

But then, the second I sank my teeth into this pie, my taste buds were jumping for joy. There was no doubt about it- this recipe was a huge success. Everyone who tasted it agreed unanimously that it was one of the best pies ever.

Needless to say, I experienced some major cognitive dissonance. My OCD told me that the pecans on top made it look extremely dirty and unappetizing, while the perfectionist in me screamed that something this unattractive should never be publicly displayed on my blog! I mean, I'd be so ashamed to post something that looked like a pile of mushy dirt and tell everyone to just take my word that it is, in fact, delicious.

Anyway, to my loyal readers: I hope that you will not judge me on these photos because the logical side of me won...eventually. After days of struggling with my inner turmoil, I knew that I could not deprive the world of this awesome recipe simply because of a few weird personality disorders.

So here it is in all its glory: the best-tasting-but-dirty-looking pie ever!

The basic necessity for a great pie: a special edition fluted Emile Henry Pie pan, exclusive to Williams Sonoma! It's a magical pan that produces perfect pies every time. I kid you not, it is indeed magical. (Click here to read all about it!)


Start by making the crust. Prepare it about 2 hours ahead of time. I always use this WS crust recipe, it's the best! And it's the only one I ever use. Please read the Apple Pie entry and its links for tips on working with pie crust, which can be tricky for beginners.

Once the pie crust is ready to go, prepare the the pumpkin pie layer.

Whip up the pecan layer and gently pour it over the pumpkin layer. GAH! None of the steps of this pie recipe are photogenic, either. lol. I'm cringing right now at the thought of having these pictures up on my blog. It's doing some major damage to my psyche as I type this. ;) Man, the lengths I go to just to share a recipe...

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for about 50-55 more minutes until the sides are set. The center doesn't have to be completely set- it's ok if it's still a big gooey. When it cools, it will naturally become firm.

I love pumpkin pie. And I love pecan pie! What more could a girl ask for? Amazing crust with two amazing pies squished together in one! The pecan top was delightfully crunchy, while the pumpkin layer on bottom was melt-in-your-mouth gooey.

I urge all of you to give this recipe a try! Don't judge a book by its cover, right? Not all pies are created equal- some are more photogenic than others. And some pies rank superior among all others in terms of taste and quality. As far as I'm concerned, this pie takes the cake! Har, Har.

(Hubby's reading over my shoulder as I type this and he just informed me that the "cake" joke was super lame, even for him- the king of lame jokes. lol.)


For the recipes in this entry, click HERE.

The WS Pie Crust
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
(See links above for source)