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Define “One Slice”
Pecan pie, meet dulce de leche. This fall dessert starts with a golden brown butter crust and a thick caramel filling mixed with nutty pecans. And that dulce de leche sauce? You may want more than a drizzle on top.
Table of Contents
The Brown Butter Pie Crust
Start this pie about 5½ hours before you plan to serve it, or make the dough ahead to spread out the work. Most of that time is waiting for the butter and dough to chill and the baked pie to cool.
Start With the Brown Butter: Allow about 10 minutes to brown the butter and about 1 hour to chill it in a shallow container. Keep the browned bits from the bottom of the pan for their nutty flavor. The butter should be cold and firm enough to cube before making the crust. If it’s still soft, give it more chilling time.
Check Before Adding Water: Browning butter cooks off some of its water, so the dough may need a little extra ice water. Squeeze a small piece between your fingers. If it holds together, it’s ready. If it falls apart into dry crumbs, add ice water a teaspoon at a time. The dough should hold together without feeling wet or sticky.
Keep the Mixing Brief: Stop the food processor once the dough starts to clump and holds together when pressed. Gather it into a disk and gently press any large cracks around the edges closed. There’s no need to knead it or work it into a perfectly smooth ball.
Give the Dough Time to Rest: Refrigerate the disk for 45 minutes, then roll it between sheets of plastic wrap and chill for another 15 minutes. When rolling, the dough should feel cold but give under the rolling pin. If it’s hard and cracking, let it soften slightly. If it becomes soft or sticky, return it to the refrigerator until firm.
Make It Ahead: Prepare the dough up to 2 days ahead, shape it into a disk, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap before refrigerating. After an overnight chill, let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes before rolling. It should still feel cold but bend without forcing it. Give it a little more time if needed, then roll and complete the 15-minute chill.
Getting the Filling Just Right
Watch the Crust and Pecans: Start checking the pie at 40 minutes. If the crust is golden but the filling still needs time, cover the edges with foil or a pie shield. If the pecans are getting too dark too, loosely tent the whole pie with foil and continue baking.
Check the Center: Gently nudge the dish while wearing oven mitts. The filling should be set around the edges with a small wobble in the center. If it sloshes or moves like liquid, it needs more time. Don’t wait for the center to become completely firm in the oven. It continues to set as it cools, and overbaking can cause cracks.
Cool Before Slicing: Allow about 2 hours for the pie to cool completely. The filling is softer while warm, so cutting too soon can leave you with slices that don’t hold together.
The Perfect Pairings
Start with London Mules, full of ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla, and Butter Pumpkins for the bread basket. Bring out the Roasted Turkey with Caramelized Onion Gravy, silky Potato Puree, and savory Meat Stuffing with pork, pancetta, and sage. My Arugula Fennel Salad adds a fresh, peppery bite. Finish with this salted dulce de leche pecan pie.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as long as there’s room for air to circulate around both dishes. Place them on the same rack if they fit without crowding, and keep the oven at 350°F (175°C). Start checking at 40 minutes, just as you would with one pie. They may need extra time, but you don’t double the baking time. Check each pie separately and take it out when the edges are set and the center has a slight wobble.
The day before is a good option. Let the pie cool on a rack, then refrigerate it within 2 hours of baking. Once chilled, cover it and keep it refrigerated until serving. Add the dulce de leche drizzle when you’re ready to serve.
Cover the pie or place individual slices in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days from the day it was baked. If you made it ahead, count those days too. Return leftovers to the refrigerator within 2 hours of serving.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- whisk
- plastic wrap
- Rolling Pin
- 9-inch pie dish, I used Emile Henry's Ceramic Pie Dish
- pastry brush
- wire rack
Ingredients
Brown Butter Crust
- 8 unsalted butter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- 1½ tbsp cane sugar
- 3 tbsp shortening
- 1 egg yolk
- 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp ice water, plus more as needed
Pecan Pie Filling
- 28 oz dulce de leche
- 2 eggs
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- ¼-½ tsp mesquite smoked salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup agave syrup
- 2 cups pecans, chopped
Assembly
- 1 egg
- ½ tbsp water
- 27 pecan halves, plus more as needed for decorating
Dulce de Leche Drizzle
- reserved dulce de leche
- 2 tbsp heavy cream, plus more as needed to thin
Instructions
Prepare the Brown Butter Ahead
- Brown the Butter: Cook the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the milk solids are golden brown and smell nutty. Immediately transfer to a shallow heatproof container, scraping in the browned milk solids.8 unsalted butter
- Chill the Butter: Refrigerate for about 1 hour, until cold and firm. Measure 5 tbsp of the browned butter and cut into cubes before continuing with the crust.
Brown Butter Crust
- Mix the Crust: Add the flour, salt, sugar, shortening, and 5 tbsps of the prepared, chilled browned butter to a food processor. Pulse until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.1½ cups all-purpose flour, pinch of salt, 1½ tbsp cane sugar, 3 tbsp shortening
- Add the Liquid: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, vinegar, and ice water. Slowly drizzle into the food processor, pulsing just until the dough begins to clump and holds together when pressed. Add more ice water, 1 tsp at a time, if needed.1 egg yolk, 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp ice water
- Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
- Roll the Dough: Roll the dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a 13-inch circle. Refrigerate the wrapped dough for 15 minutes.
Pecan Pie Filling
- Divide the Dulce de Leche: Reserve 7 oz (about ½ cup plus 2 tbsp) of the dulce de leche for the drizzle.21 oz dulce de leche
- Mix the Filling: Whisk together the remaining 21 oz of dulce de leche, eggs, heavy cream, mesquite smoked salt, cinnamon, and agave syrup until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans.2 eggs, 1¼ cups heavy cream, ¼-½ tsp mesquite smoked salt, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ⅓ cup agave syrup, 2 cups pecans
Assembly and Baking
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Fit the Crust: Remove the plastic wrap and gently fit the dough into a 9-inch pie dish without stretching it. Trim excess dough, fold the edge under, and crimp.
- Prepare the Egg Wash: Whisk the remaining egg with ½ tbsp water.1 egg, ½ tbsp water
- Fill the Pie: Pour the filling into the crust. Arrange the pecan halves around the outer edge of the filling and brush the crust edges with egg wash.27 pecan halves
- Bake the Pie: Bake for about 50 minutes, checking at 40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is set around the edges with a slight jiggle in the center. Continue baking as needed if the center still appears liquid. Cover the crust edges with foil if they brown too quickly.
- Cool the Pie: Transfer to a wire rack and allow about 2 hours to cool completely before slicing. Refrigerate after cooling if serving later.
Dulce de Leche Drizzle
- Make the Drizzle: Stir the reserved dulce de leche with additional heavy cream, a little at a time, until pourable.2 tbsp heavy cream, 7 oz dulce de leche
- Serve the Pie: Drizzle over the cooled pie before serving.
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love your way of cooking. Thank you for all these lovely recipes.
However would you help me and tell me what should I use instead of alcohol in ur other recipes please. It will be of grate help
Thank you in advance
Imane
Thank you so much Imane! I can do that no problem. It honestly depends on the recipe that you would like to omit the alcohol in. If you go to the recipe you are talking about specifically and leave a comment on it I can let you know the best substitute for that recipe in particular.